Together, a Puzzleshipping Collection
by Daimeryan Rei
Summary: Collection of Puzzleshipping fics written for the Fanfiction100 challenge @ LiveJournal. Please read individual warnings/summaries for every fic. Contains mainly romance, fluff, some angst and a little drama.
1. One Second

Title: One Second  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Characters: Yami no Yuugi/Atemu & Mutou Yuugi  
Rating: G  
Warnings: a little tear-jerking?  
Summary: Sometimes, a choice can be made in one second, even if it is a choice between life and death.  
Author's Notes: Written for the **fanfic100** challenge, prompt # 86, "Choices".

* * *

They say life is made out of choices. That life is nothing but choices. From the simple choice between eggs or sausage or both for breakfast, to the greater choices in life: which study to follow, which career, getting married or not, children or not, taking care of your parents...

There is always a choice. That much is for certain. Always. A. Choice. I don't think I was really aware of it all the time, though. I used to believe in fate. I still do, mind you. Fate is what brings people together. Fate is what is being placed on the path in your life, fate is what makes...no, forces you to choose. And there is always a choice. Always.

Not that it is easy. I am not the first one who doubted his choice, not knowing whether it was the right one or not. Even I have wished more than once that I could turn back time, that I could track back to the choice I made, and change it. Things are hard, life is hard, and there is no certainty in life but death. Pretty pessimistic, huh? I don't think it is, however. It's being realistic, and even though I had my fair share in life of anything but realistic, it still is the simple truth.

You never know it was the right choice until the events unfold, I suppose, and even then, things can still go wrong. Fatalistic? Maybe. I have lots of time to contemplate, you know. Time...is not of any importance here. I have all the time in the world. I can think about it as long as I want to, as often as I want to, or not. What is a right choice anyway? You decide about something, and hope it is for the best. When it turns out to be wrong or bad, you can cry and have regrets. And start all over again.

I never hesitated. Not for one second. I knew who and what I was going to leave behind. I knew who I was going to disappoint, going to anger, going to leave in tears. Jounouchi, Anzu. Jii-chan. Kaa-san. All of my friends, my family. I didn't hesitate for one second, when I was offered the choice.

Sometimes I think I didn't have a choice after all. At that moment, when the last attack cleared, his life points were at zero and his field was empty, the choice had already been made. Not for me, but by me. I never wanted to let him go. I never forget how he walked over to me, accepting his defeat as he walked; upright, confident. To him, it was fate. To me, it was bad luck. I never meant to win the duel. I never wanted to let him go. His hands on my shoulders when I was crying like a kid, gods, how he said he wasn't Yuugi any more. Indeed, he wasn't. He was...he is Atemu, and he is my other half.

I don't have regrets. I don't feel sorry. The only tears I cried were out of fear of losing him. To see him go through that door, returning to the world he had left behind. I heard others cry, but I couldn't understand their tears. They were losing a good friend; I was losing my other half. My life. He wasn't even gone yet and I felt already torn apart, physically, mentally.

When he helped me back onto my feet, he whispered the choice to me. He knew what I would have to leave behind, he knew who and what I was going to give up. His eyes were sad, but accepting- he would accept every decision I made, as he had always done. The once Pharaoh, once reduced to fall onto his very knees after losing, once humiliated and defiled as to reconcile him with his darkness within, once the ruler of one the world's greatest nations of all time, commanding armies, people, a Kingdom...he was waiting for my decision and I saw the question in his eyes.

That might be the only time in my life that I simply didn't have a choice. Yes, I know I'm contradicting myself, leave me be. It's not like I'm the same anymore anyway...have I ever been the same, the moment I put the Puzzle together and our souls were infused? I breathe him. I whisper his name every night; in passion, in happiness, in grief. I lost and I won, in that very same second. I lost my life and won my soul.

I know he's standing behind me. He loves to watch me, every moment of the day and night. His eyes follow me, his voice floats towards me; he touches me whenever he can. I love him. I love him so much it hurts. I couldn't leave him, and I saw it, written all over his face, while he was holding up a brave smile for me. My strong, wise, brave Pharaoh. My lips curl into a smile when I feel his hands on my shoulders. He knows when to speak, and knows when not to. This is a moment of peaceful silence, and he leaves me be.

As the gate opened and the others were crying out, the tensions and grief already running high, I moved towards him. To hell with duelling. To hell with everyone else. Yes, I said that, me, the one who values friendship more than anything. I loved them all, I still do- but they would never, ever be able to take his place. They would remind me of him everyday, unconsciously, without knowing, remind me of what had happened, what I lost. I didn't win that stupid duel. I lost so much when I announced the final attack. I stayed up all night to devise a strategy against his God Cards, and I knew it would work- and when it did work, I wished I hadn't played it that way.

I can't help the small shiver; his fingers always have the same effect on me; I want more. More of him. More of his smile, his laughter, his touch, his voice. I'm barely aware that I'm tilting my head already, for him to stroke my neck and bury his fingers in my hair. I simply couldn't have left him. He was about to be reunited with his friends, his Priests, his memories, everything. He had won his life back and I had lost...so when he asked me silently to share it with him, the choice had already been made. Sometimes...sometimes I think I would've followed him without asking. Just the look in his eyes. Crimson, vibrant eyes holding and showing me everything that I needed: warmth, hope, love, life. Life beyond the gate. A life together.

No regrets. His hand is in my hair, sifting through the strands, one finger tracing the outline of my ear. To this day, whatever day that may be, he is still amused by me wearing earrings. Not as large as his own, but still...they're pretty large, and he likes to see me wearing them. A pair of earrings was the first of the many presents he gave to me; so much more that I could ever return. Every second, every minute, every moment, is a present, a gift from the gods. I'm willing to believe in everything; fate, destiny, gods, if only to be with him...if only to have this to never end.

I need him. More than being with my mother. More than being with my grandfather. More than being with my friends. I love them all to death and I would do anything for them- I would die for them. In some way, I did. I took his hand and turned my back on them, to walk to the gate, to walk through the gate. When I have a nightmare, it is about them and their crying voices, calling for me to get back, to stop walking...to stop walking and then what? Let him go? To not feel his touch anymore, not now, not ever? To not look in his eyes, to not feel his lips on mine, to not feel the wonderful embrace of his arms, to not see his face, his smile to me?

Their cries haunt me, yes. Maybe that is the only thing I regret. I didn't see their faces, as I was looking at him, whispering 'yes' all over- yes, I would follow him, yes, I would share eternity with him, yes, gods, please, yes...I heard Anzu scream, I heard Jounouchi yell, I heard Honda cry...I didn't hear my jii-chan. His voice had always been soft, and maybe, more than probably, he was too overwhelmed by the moment to protest. Or did he know...or had he always known that when he gave me the Puzzle, I would be faced with this choice? I don't think so...I don't think that even he could ever imagine how it was going to end. Not in my wildest dreams I could've imagine it myself. Their voices - _Yuugi, don't go!_-, are only in my darkest dreams, my most vivid nightmares. But even then, when I wake up, panting for air and crying, he's there, taking me into an embrace, hushing me, consoling me.

Funny how I don't even remember the gate closing. It cut off everything- the sound of their voices, the way back, my life. All I remember is the light, the beautiful golden light that enveloped us. I saw the brilliant smile on his face, his posture so relaxed and at ease, as I had never seen him before. The Pharaoh had returned and he was complete- and that was all I needed to know. He squeezed my hand a little, as his Priests started to approach him, exclaiming their joy and happiness to see him again. Nobody asked me where I had come from or what I was doing, holding the hand of their beloved Pharaoh. I was kissed, patted, welcomed, accepted, and loved.

This is where I am now. I feel his every touch, his fingers in my hair, his warm breathing close to my cheek, his lips brushing my skin. I don't know why I have such a good notion of everything; all of it feels so real, so lifelike. Is it the truth, another memory world, heaven, a RPG? I don't know and I don't mind. As long as I am with him, all is well. Maybe regrets will come later... if there is a later. I don't have any notion of time, though. Maybe one day I will regret not having said goodbye to my mother. Of leaving my friends behind, hurting them by not saying goodbye either but simply leave. I will never see Anzu dance again; I will never see Jounouchi stuff his face again. I will never see my jii-chan or kaa-san ever again. I will never know how much they cried, how much they hate me for leaving them, how much they will think of me, if they ever will...

How could I ever live without my other half, the other half of my very soul? How could I ever live with myself if I had let him go? I would have been killing myself slowly, but steadily. He taught me so much, and I gave so much in return; but we both knew it was not enough. Not enough to live. We could only be together like this. That is why I stepped through the gate. That is why I was holding his hand. From the moment I put the last piece of the Puzzle together, I was dying. Dying to be with him, for now, for ever, for eternity. Letting him go through the gate, aloneﾅ would have left me without a soul. Without a will to live. I would have died without him, and I wanted to die to be with him.

They say life is made out of choices. That life is nothing but choices. From the simple choice between eggs or sausage or both for breakfast, to the greater choices in life: which study to follow, which career, getting married or not, children or not, taking care of your parents...

There is always a choice. That much is for certain. Always. A. Choice.

My choice was to be with him. In one second, I chose death.

How could I ever live without my other half, the other half of my very soul?

Simple.

I couldn't.

Not ever.

Not for one second.

* * *


	2. Pretty as a Picture

Title: Pretty as a Picture  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Characters: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu)/ Mutou Yuugi  
Prompt: #84, He  
Word Count: 2.457  
Rating: G  
Summary: Years after Atemu's passing onto the Afterlife, Yuugi's daughter asks her father why he doesn't have a picture of his best friend.  
Author's Notes: Obvious spoilers for the end of series.

* * *

He knew he might just as well turn off his computer as soon as he heard the front door open and close again. A loud yell for "Otou-chaa~aan! We're home!" followed, immediately silenced by a "Hush, Sumi-chan! Your father is working!"

A smile graced his face as he reached for the 'off' button - in fond memory of his ancient typewriter he used to write his manuscripts with - and was just in time before his daughter stormed into his office and immediately jumped on his lap, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck.

"Otou-chan, we're home again!"

"So I've noticed," Yuugi deadpanned as he stroked his daughter's hair, his heart melting at her joyful exuberance. She looked so much like her mother, with her dark brown hair framing her face like that, and those wide, blue eyes looking up at him. Despite being a little rambunctious every now and then, Mutou Sumi in general disposed over much elegance and grace, with the distinct walk of a prima ballerina copied from her mother. She had inherited her father's love for playing games and was quick to accept challenges.

Yuugi didn't need to look up to see the woman he loved standing in the door opening, but he tilted his head anyway, smiling at his wife to greet her. Anzu heaved an exaggerated sigh and moved her hand up to unravel her hair, twisted into a bun. She shook her head a few times for the strands to fan out over her shoulders and returned Yuugi's smile.

"That's the last time I go last-minute shopping."

"I'm sorry, I could've run the errand if I knew..."

"It's okay," Anzu said as she unbuttoned her coat. "We didn't want to disturb you, and we were able to get everything we wanted. I'm going to get started on dinner, all right?"

Yuugi nodded and shifted Sumi on his lap. The girl laughed happily and as always, reached for his keyboard to start 'typing'. He often felt guilty about how his family threaded so careful around him, to not disturb the author of the famous Pharaoh series as he was working on a new book. Not one moment in his life had Yuugi dreamed about or considered becoming an author; he graduated high school with average grades and started working in his grandfather's GameShop. After Sumi was born, he had started telling her stories about a Pharaoh who didn't know his name and searched to find it. It was loosely based on what happened in his own life, but he kept it simple for his daughter to understand.

Little Sumi was very excited about the story and wanted to know if the Pharaoh would find his name, so Yuugi started telling more, blending reality with fantasy. Before he knew it, he was putting his story to paper and much to his own surprise, the series turned quite popular. Children were eager to read about the adventures of the young Pharaoh and Yuugi's publisher kept asking for new installments in the series. There was a shelf on the west wall of the room, containing every book of the on-going series about the Pharaoh and his friends. Yuugi sometimes wondered how Atemu would've felt about being 'chibi-fied'; the Pharaoh in his story shared some obvious character traits with the former Spirit of the Sennen Puzzle. Well, obvious to Yuugi and his friends of course, as they had known him in person.

No matter what, Atemu had been a part of his life, and after he had left, Yuugi realized the influence he had had on him…and still was having on his life. It felt strange without the Pharaoh around, without the Sennen Puzzle, without Duel Monsters the way he was used to play it. Yuugi had surpressed his thoughts, his memories, not knowing the right way to deal with it. He moved on, finished high school, started a job, married Anzu… and still, the Pharaoh was there, not every day, not every second, but just… there. Lately, and maybe because of the books, Yuugi felt that Atemu was increasing his influence on his life, and he didn't know how to feel about that. Surpressing everything what had happened hadn't been the right way, and he didn't want to deny Atemu his rightful place. With the books, he felt he had Atemu close, acknowledging him, without getting too much involved. It sounded silly perhaps, but this was the only way for Yuugi now to deal with it.

Sumi looked around, the keyboard boring her already. Her eyes darted through the room and finally halted at a large, framed picture on the desk.

"Otou-chan," the girl said, "who are those people in the picture?"

"You know them, Sumi-chan," Yuugi said. "These are my friends." He leaned forward to pick up the picture, using his fingers to point out the person he was talking about. "This is Honda-kun and next to him is Jounouchi-kun, they opened up a car repair shop together. This is Otogi-kun, who owns the Black Crown stores all over town."

His thumb moved. "And you know who this is…"

"Kaa-san," the girl immediately supplied. "Who's standing next to her, otou-chan?"

"Shizuka-chan, Jounouchi-kun's younger sister," Yuugi explained. "This is Bakura-kun…" His voice trailed off. He stared with sudden sadness at the picture.

"Otou-chan?"

"Hmmm, what?"

"What's wrong, otou-chan?"

"Nothing, sweetheart," Yuugi said and lowered his head to kiss his daughter on the nose. "Why don't you go help kaa-san in the kitchen? I think she's making _daifuku_!"

"Yum! Daifuku!" Sumi clapped her small hands together and slid off of his lap, ecstatic at the thought of the sweet dessert. She ran out of the room, leaving Yuugi with a wistful smile and the picture in his hands.

* * *

The rice was almost done, and Anzu added the last of the ingredients to the stir fry she was preparing. Her feet were slightly hurting; she'd had to hurry to get the last of the grocery shopping done. She'd only discovered late this afternoon that she had been all out of miso and soy sauce. No, she'd never be a well-organized housewife, but at least there would be a well-prepared dinner on the table tonight; she liked cooking.

"There you are," Anzu said as she noticed her daughter entering the kitchen. "You're just in time to help me out."

Like many children her age, Sumi adored imitating her mother, and she loved to help out. She climbed onto a chair, movements fast and nimble. Anzu mostly gave her little tasks like stirring into a bowl or putting the napkins on the table; this time she allowed Sumi to put the finishing touch on the salad.

"Otou-chan showed me the picture, kaa-san," she said, her face serious as she sprinkled the ingredients into the salad bowl.

"What picture, sweetheart?"

"Of otou-chan's friends," Sumi answered and Anzu knew what she was talking about. It was taken at the party after their graduation, and everyone of their friends had the same picture framed somewhere in their house.

"It's a lovely picture," Anzu agreed. "We were all very young back then, and we just had finished school."

"I like school," Sumi said and tried to spread the ingredients as evenly as possible, using a large spoon. She was so caught up in her task that she didn't hear her father coming down for dinner. Anzu turned around to pick up Sumi and the large salad bowl and ushered her into the dining room. Yuugi entered the kitchen, his face painstakingly neutral, but with an already familiar sadness in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her.

"How long has it been?"

She knew exactly what he was talking about. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, inhaling his familiar scent, she said: "Eight years, four months and two weeks, sweetheart."

"I'm sorry," Yuugi immediately said and tightened his grip on his wife. She didn't protest, instead moved her hand up to stroke his hair; she knew how much he liked that. It always soothed him, calmed him. "It's not your problem."

"I'm your wife and your best friend," she said, voice soft. "I was there when it happened, Yuugi. And you still think it's not my problem?"

"I don't want it to be your problem."

"It _is_," she said curtly, but kept stroking his hair to take the sting out of her words. "You know what I felt for him, Yuugi. I…"

"It never went away, did it?" His voice was breathless.

"Neither did it for you," she answered. Anzu had reconciled herself a long time ago with the fact that one person in particular would hold a part of Yuugi's heart, a part she would never have or could ever reach. It was ruled from beyond the grave, a part of his soul that was caught in the Afterlife when Atemu passed onto it. She didn't notice how her own fingers clenched at her husband's shirt.

They didn't marry each other out of passion, but not out of pity either. They truly loved one another, but there was someone else who had brought them together, was keeping them together and driving them slowly apart at the same time. How long would it take before he ruled over their lives so much that they had no other choice…? Anzu didn't want to think about it. Clinging to Yuugi, she remained in his arms until she softly said: "Sumi-chan will return any second now."

He nodded and let go of her, but not before he kissed her on the forehead.

* * *

"Kaa-san, tell me more about the picture," Sumi said when her mother was tucking her into bed. Anzu couldn't help but smile and wonder where the Kaiba-like tenacity came from. Last time she checked, she was married to a Mutou, not a Kaiba.

"Why do you want to know about the picture so bad, Sumi-chan?"

"Otou-san was very sad when he looked at it. Why was otou-chan sad?"

Anzu and Yuugi had decided when they would be having kids, to raise them with respect and honesty. They both believed in truth, and in answering questions to the best of their abilities, no matter how grave or awkward the question. Anzu didn't like to sugarcoat her words, even if she wanted her child to be a child as long as possible, not confronted with the harshness of the truth…but on the other hand, she didn't want her daughter to grow up too sheltered and naïve. She heaved an inaudible sigh.

"You see, someone is missing in that picture," Anzu said finally and continued tucking little Sumi in, carefully smoothing out the blankets.

"Really?" The girl widened her eyes again, a trait she obviously inherited from her father. "How come he's not there?"

"He… couldn't make it," Anzu said. "He had to leave."

The girl mulled over these words. "Leave? Where to?"

"Someplace he couldn't return from," Anzu said and caressed her daughter's cheek.

"You mean.. he's dead?"

Anzu couldn't help but smile, albeit a little forlorn. Their daughter had always been quick to pick up on things like this.

"Yes, he's dead, Sumi-chan."

"Who was he?"

"He was your father's best… special friend," Anzu said. "A very best, very special friend."

"Is that why otou-chan is so sad when he looks at the picture?"

"Yes. He would love to see his friend also in the picture."

"What was his name?"

"Atemu," Anzu said after a small hesitation. "Atemu."

"That's a really weird name, kaa-san…"

"He was Egyptian."

"Egypt-ti-an?"

Anzu smiled. "A land far, far away from here. Now you need to sleep, darling. No more talking about pictures."

As she was getting up, Sumi blinked at her, cheeks a little rosy, eyes half-lidded with sleep. "What did Atemu-san look like, kaa-san?"

"Exactly like your father. Very slight differences," she smiled at the memory, "his eyes were red, and smaller, narrower - and he had a few more golden bangs in his hair. But now it's really time for bed," Anzu added sternly, and het hand moved towards the light switch. "Goodnight, Sumi-chan."

"Goodnight, kaa-san," the girl muttered sleepily.

* * *

In his former-attic-room-turned-office, Yuugi stared at the monitor in front of him, noticing the words who failed to form coherent sentences. For all that his Pharaoh series was popular, it took Yuugi quite some time to complete a new book. The memories involved started to weigh heavier with every new chapter, and his fingers more often than not fell silent on the keyboard. The only sound in the room was the soft muttering of Sumi, who was on the floor with a bunch of coloring pencils and a few pieces of paper.

He was easily distracted by her, not that he really cared - his wife and his daughter were his everything, and just as Yuugi considered calling it a day and quit writing for now, his eyes fell upon…

…the picture on his desk. He stared at it. Something was different, it didn't look the same as before. Yuugi reached for it and picked up the wooden frame. Somehow, before he had entered his office, Sumi had climbed upon his desk and removed the picture from its frame - to add another person to it with her color pencils. He had no trouble whatsoever to recognize him, despite the crude lines of a children's drawing. She had used black to outline his face and hair, bright yellow to add more golden bangs to it, and a startling deep crimson red for his eyes. She had drawn Atemu right into the picture, next to his father, between Yuugi and Jounouchi.

With a blue crayon, she had drawn Atemu's arm over Yuugi's shoulders. A friendly gesture, as his other arm was around Jounouchi's; just like all their friends were close, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. He could almost feel Atemu's arm on him and he reached for his own shoulder, only to not feel it there.

Sumi beamed up at him. "Now your friend's in the picture too, otou-chan…"

Moving from his chair, he picked his daughter up from the floor and settled her on his arm as he held the picture, eyes focused on the addition she made to it.

"Thank you, my darling. It's wonderful. It really looks like him. He…"

He fell silent as he saw Anzu in the door opening again. She simply nodded, a wistful smile on her face, tears silently sliding down her cheeks. Sumi didn't notice as she was happily holding onto her father, and he would make sure their daughter wouldn't see the both of them cry, even if it was in silence. Anzu knew what her husband wanted to say.

_He looks so alive._

* * *


	3. A Letter to a Dead

Title: A Letter to A Dead  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Characters: Yami no Yuugi/Atemu & Mutou Yuugi  
Prompt: # 33 Too Much  
Word Count: approx. 2.157  
Rating: G  
Summary: Yuugi writes a letter to the Spirit of the Puzzle.  
Author's Notes: None.

* * *

Dear Nameless Pharaoh,

I'm writing you this letter to let you know that I know. I know you come out at night, that you pace around in my bedroom. I know, because I feel tired when I wake up, and sometimes my feet ache. I know, because you don't stay inside the bedroom and sometimes go outside and stare at the stars high in the sky, ignoring the cold, leaving me to wake up with chattering teeth. I know you don't do it on purpose, and thank you for the extra blanket on my feet.

The problem is, that sometimes I don't know where you start and where _I_ end. Or where I start and _you_ end. I don't mind it, really - I'm here to help you. So let me help you. Allow me to help you. You're quite strong and confident, or rather arrogant, as other people like to think of you. You don't mind it, or you don't see it, because you create a distance, subconscious or not, with everyone you meet.

Except for me.

You latched on to me. I understand. Really, I do. It's not always easy. I understand. This world is strange, and so unlike the one you remember. The one you claim to remember, because you don't have many memories. I can only imagine how frustrating that must be. I sometimes see your face lit up in surprise or in recognition, and you yell a triumphant "A-ha!", only to fall silent and wonder about what it exactly was that triggered your memory. It slips from your hands, those shreds of something akin to a memory, out of your grasp. Again.

I know what you're doing. I'm here all the time, you know. You're a part of me, you're inside of me. I wish I knew everything of you, like you do of me… but I'm some kind of undiscovered territory, and you're exploring me like you always do in a situation: meticulous, patient, diligent. Unless you lose your head and stampede through a duel. Thank you for winning my soul back, but well.. it wasn't really necessary in the beginning, don't you think?

Sometimes I think you're afraid of this world, and that's why you're so focused on me. You're rather intelligent and you quickly get the hang of everything; you even programmed my cell phone faster than I could. Still, it's so much different than what you're used to - or what you think you're used to, lost memories and all that - that it scares you, that it frightens you. It's all right. I know you won't ever tell me, because whatever fear you have, it's not like you to talk about it.

Why am I writing this all to you? I don't know. Maybe because it starts to bother me. Maybe because sometimes, just sometimes, I really want to be alone. Alone, without someone in my head. I know, it sounds rather strange for someone so attached to his friends as I am, but really… really, sometimes I just want to be alone. Not to ponder any deep thoughts, the existence of the universe and the cosmos and my place in this world, or to... to do private things, what any hormonal sixteen, almost seventeen, year old boy would do. I'm rather healthy in that department, you know.

Of course you know. You know everything, and you want to know everything. If you don't pay attention for one second or something else catches your attention for just a moment, you ask me what I've been doing. I have the sinking feeling you keep track of everything I say, and that you cross-reference it with your own notes. Oh, you're so very meticulous. It takes you ten minutes to write down a sentence because you're left handed, and you're afraid that the 'ink will spill' and smudge over the paper. No matter how often I tell you it's just a simple ball-point pen, and that they don't stain or spill any ink. It's endearing to see how concentrated you write, and on the other hand, I'm very thankful that you help me out with school every once in a while, like with that algebra test.

I didn't notice that I had dozed off, and maybe you felt guilty for exhausting my body at night when I needed the rest, but you took that test for me and scored my first -and unfortunately, still last- A for me. I did have some explaining to do about how I solved the questions in particular, because you used a rather… outdated and unconventional method, but the answers were right, undeniably so.  
My mother was very happy with it, and so was I, even though it wasn't exactly my own achievement. Heh, some of my fellow classmates told me that I was unusually focused that afternoon.

Is there something wrong? No, I don't think so. I'm glad you're my friend, and that you want to help me, even though that sometimes goes as far as to… being stalker-ish, I presume. Maybe I should use the word 'obsessive', I think that's better in this context. It's like I can feel you pass judgement on anyone who I meet, classify them according to your own system and assess the potential threat they can be. It wouldn't be the first time that you would whip out your mind-crush to shatter someone's soul into oblivion because he or she looked at me funnily.

I can't shut you out. I can't ignore you. I can't tune you out. I can't lock you up.

Not that I want to do that, oh no. It feels… strangely comfortable, having someone as close as you; close as can be, how can anyone top being so close as to be in one's mind? However, it's almost suffocating me, choking me, weighing me down. It's me, Yuugi, but sometimes I don't know if it's really me or you, Nameless Pharaoh.

You don't like sweets - how can anyone not like ice cream? - but if I don't pay attention, you put so much honey in my tea that it almost becomes a solid gob of… honey with a slight taste of tea. You like rice, you like salty snacks, which I figured out when I had my mouth full of some seaweed dish and didn't know how fast to spit it out. You sneakily add an extra belt when I'm not looking, or when I pull a shirt right over my head. Jii-chan was beyond amazed and shocked when he had to retrieve his classical music CD's from my room, and you change the radio channel all the time.

It doesn't matter, because we share, and we learn. I drink the gob of tea because I know honey reminds you of your home. I eat something salty after something terribly sweet, just to please you. I only sigh and leave the extra belt, and I bought a classical music compilation CD just for you to listen to, and it's a minor movement to change the radio channel back.

You write my essays on Ancient Egypt in history class, and you wrote my paper on political views on the world. You got a little wordy on that, and you threw a temper tantrum because we got a B for using archaic language to express an 'outdated, sheltered' view. All and all… you're not of this world. You're dead. You died to protect this same world, and you would do it again if it were asked of you. I admire your strength and courage, but all I ask of you is…

… to leave me alone sometimes.

It's like… I can't always deal with your presence. Like I said, I can't turn you off, or tune you out. You're just always there. It's too much, you know? I would love to tell you, and to say it's not your fault, nor is it mine. You didn't ask for this to happen, and neither did I. We're stuck in this situation, and we both are trying to make the best out of it.

I respect you, and ask of you to respect me. To rest when I'm resting, to leave my body alone and not constantly… be on my mind. I can't deal with it all the time, no matter how much I want to.  
Would that be too much to ask? I'm not sure. I'm really not sure. You see - you're very hard to read. I don't know everything of you, and you can be very difficult. Your eyes, your fiery crimson red eyes, they sometimes scare me. I know you would listen to me, but you wouldn't hear me. You would take this personally, and more than probably, you would start to wonder what you could do about it.. but not in the way I want it to. Can't you see how difficult it is?

Can't you see… can't you feel how much I long for silence in my head? I'm not asking for 24/7 of silence, not by a long shot. I want you… I want you to be this close. Only sometimes… we need a little distance, you know?

I wonder if you know. You have a narrow view of the world, which isn't your fault - you died at a very young age, and it has been three millennia. That's all we know at this point, and I feel sorry for you. No one deserves to die at a very young age, but that doesn't mean that you can continue to be the person who you are… who you think you are. People change. The world changes. Situations change.

You're my friend. Really, you are. Some things are yours, some things are mine. My mother compliments me on my tidy desk, sighing that it only took me ten years to learn. Jii-chan pours me tea in the morning, after more than ten years of pouring orange juice. He looks at me, because he knows, and then smirks at me when he serves me scrambled eggs. You hate eggs, but you would barely eat at all if someone else doesn't remind you. An old habit maybe, and it's what makes you you - an unique personal, an individual, just like me.

Only lately, I've been asking myself how much of an individual I still am. Would you… will you understand that? I'm almost finished writing this down. There are only so many ways of writing this without sounding repetetive. Maybe if you read this, and think about it, it's easier for you to understand. I rather not.. confront you about this, because I know you will be hurt, and you will look at me and say "If that is what you want, aibou", which will show me that you missed the point, and you don't like missing the point, and I don't want you to miss the point.

Because, the truth is, the point is, that I just want some distance. Some silence. Not all the time, but sometimes, you know? It's not about asking me what I've done and where I've been, because I love to talk to you and to make you even laugh. I like to hear you laugh, because it's cold and dark and creepy inside your soul room, and I think that with a little bit of laughter it looks so much better. That, and a thorough redecoration.

It's not about… I can't think of how to explain it. I've been rambling far too much about it already, this is the fifth sheet of paper I'm using, and I have very small handwriting. I don't want to justify myself for something that I want, something that I ask for myself. It's not like I ask much for myself. Not like you ask much for yourself either… the only thing I can do now is to express my hope that you understand. Because I'm going crazy… no, that's not true. I'm getting very mildly annoyed… no, that's not true either.

Because I'm afraid I'm losing myself. Who I am. I want to be Mutou Yuugi, with all his faults and mistakes, with all the things he does right, with all the things he's known for. Some traits are mine, and I want to keep it that way. I've learned a lot already - I have grown, I have gained confidence, gained experience in life.

I just don't want to wake up with a craving for some food or drink that I know it's not mine.

I just don't want to go to the library and find myself perusing books on Ancient Egypt while I need to do research on volcanoes.

I just don't want to look in the mirror and ask myself who I am seeing there.

I hope you understand. Sometimes it's just too much, mou hitori no boku. I'm sorry.

-- Yuugi

* * *


	4. Coming to Terms, part 1

Title: Coming to Terms, part I

Characters: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu)/ Mutou Yuugi

Prompt: #71, Broken

Rating: PG for shounen-ai.

Summary: On his way to adulthood, Yuugi finds himself struggling with certain choices, resulting into his relationship with Atemu becoming oddly strained. Will they grow closer or apart as they are both trying to come to terms with the changed, new path their lives are taking?

Author's Notes: AU, end of series 'fix-it'. Spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen the final episode. Yuugi!Angst. Characters are older, about 22-23 years.

* * *

It was in the middle of the night when he woke up – gasping for breath, sweat glistening on his brow. A weight was holding him down, and he struggled to break free. He wasn't alone in the bed. _Who was with him? Why was he here? What was going on?_ The weight – he was drowning, he was caged, he was suffocating..! With a sharp movement to the right, he freed himself – by rolling right out of the bed, landing with a thud on the floor.

Groaning, he rubbed his lower backside as he got back up on his feet and quietly, on tiptoe, left the room. He knew the way by heart. He had lived in this house his entire life, and no matter how quaint the building was, he had no trouble whatsoever finding the bathroom.

He switched on the light and blinked a few times as he hurried to the sink. He turned the faucet on and stuck his hands under the cold, running water, splashing some into his face.

_What a horrible nightmare! _His breathing was slightly erratic, and he forced himself to calm down. _It was a nightmare, it wasn't real. _The icy cold water running over his wrists made him shiver, and he moved his hand away from the faucet, turning it off. Silence reigned, and he stared at himself in the mirror. His face was pale, and his eyes a little too wide… wider than usual, even.

It was just a matter of seconds now, he presumed. He waited, anxiously, in anticipation – and heaved a small sigh of relief when he heard a stumble outside the door. A click, and the door opened.

"Aibou… Aibou, it is half past three in the morning. What are you doing out of bed? You should be sleeping."

Yuugi bowed his head in embarrassment. Atemu was a very light sleeper; he noticed every movement in and outside of the bed.

"I'm sorry, mou hitori no boku," he said and winced from the loudness of his voice, echoing in the bathroom. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Atemu tilted his head, his eyes searching Yuugi's face. Gently, he moved his hand and tucked a few damp strands behind Yuugi's ear. Yuugi quietly closed the distance between them and slipped his arms around Atemu's waist, resting his head against his shoulder. He heaved another soft sigh when he felt the other's fingers slipping further into his hair, petting him.

"What is plaguing your mind, aibou? Tell me…"

"I... I don't know," Yuugi said. He took a deep breath, inhaling Atemu's scent. His body felt warm, despite him always claiming to be cold – Yuugi pressed himself closer to him, trying to absorb every little bit of heat. "I don't know."

Atemu pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You are troubled."

"I'm sorry…"

"Do not apologize, aibou. If there is something troubling you, I want to know, so I can help you."

"I know." Yuugi couldn't get enough of his scent – cinnamon, nutmeg, sand, hot sun and passion, all blended into one. No one but Atemu would be able to smell like this, and he curled his fingers against his chest, fingers clutching at the fabric of his pajama top. It was early spring and the weather was chilly; especially the nights could still be cold.

"I just had a bad dream."

He adored the hand caressing and petting him, fingers stroking his hair. Long, slender fingers raking through the multicolored strands, parting them in steady movements, soothing him. He could fall asleep standing like this, it was so comforting.

"A bad dream about what, aibou?"

"I don't know…" Yuugi didn't want to think about it. Had it really been a nightmare, or had it just been a 'bad dream'? All that he could remember was the heavy feeling of being weighed down, of being suffocated…

"Let us go back to bed," Atemu suggested. They were both barefoot and the cold tiles on the bathroom floor didn't provide comfort. Yuugi managed to keep his hold on Atemu while they left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom. He shivered when he crawled under the heavy, warm blankets, and made sure to snuggle up against Atemu as soon as he lied down.

As usual, he put his arms around Yuugi and pulled him closer.

"Can you recall anything from the dream?"

"Mou hitori no boku, you're tired," Yuugi said and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. "We'll talk about it in the morning, all right?"

"It _is_ morning already, aibou…"

"Silly," Yuugi answered and give him another kiss, curling up into his embrace. He put his head on his chest, close to where he could hear the other's firm heartbeat. Atemu's hand was warm on his arm, a comforting touch. It didn't take long for the other to start snoring softly again, and Yuugi couldn't help but smile sadly. He had told a little lie when he said that he didn't want to talk about it yet… he didn't want to talk about it because his dreams scared him. He already had a faint notion of what was worrying him so much, and he also had a growing, sinking feeling that Atemu wouldn't be happy at all hearing about it.

Shifting around, he turned his head up to look at Atemu sleeping. His smile widened, this time loving and warm. The Gods had been so kind to restore Atemu's body to his Ancient Egyptian appearance, meaning that he had recovered his dark tan and slightly wilder hair. No one had really held it for possible, but Atemu had chosen to stay with Yuugi and lead a mortal life when the Gods offered that option to him after the Ceremonial Duel. Everyone thought he wanted to pass on, but Atemu hadn't hesitated for a second. The Ceremonial Gate remained closed to him, as he went back to Domino City, Japan, together with an over-ecstatic Yuugi.

The first years had been wonderful and amazing. Their friends weren't really surprised to see them shift immediately into a relationship instead of 'just being friends'. Yuugi's mother had felt a little awkward in the beginning, but accepted Atemu pretty fast as her son's choice of life partner. They had tried to tell her the exact truth, but she failed to really understand it, confused by the complexity of the story. Eventually, the topic faded into the background and everyone of the Mutou family settled into the current household, returning to the daily grind of life.

Yuugi suppressed his urge to flick Atemu's nose. Yes, this was the man he was in love with for years now, starting out as friends when he was still the Spirit of the Puzzle, turning into a Nameless Pharaoh until he finally received his name – Atemu. He loved him very much, just as Atemu loved him… and that was probably the source of his mixed feelings.

He bit his lip. He didn't doubt his love for Atemu for one second, and he didn't doubt Atemu's love for him either. What was it that was exactly bothering him? Insecurity, annoyance? After years, their relationship was still wonderful and amazing, and Yuugi was grateful for every day he got to share with Atemu, but sometimes… no, 'suffocation' wasn't the right word. A restless feeling was stirring within him, some dissatisfaction…he didn't know how to describe it. Thoughts heavy and jumbled, he fell asleep after hours of worrying.

* * *

The next morning, Yuugi didn't feel rested at all. He let out a huge yawn. The alarm clock buzzed and he turned around to shut it off. He was alone in the bed – Atemu always got up ridiculously early. Yuugi had the small bathroom all to himself and started his daily morning routine, slower than usual. Grabbing his books and notes, he thundered down the stairs, still yawning.

"Good morning, aibou," Atemu greeted him. "Sit down, you will have to hurry. You are late."

"I know, I know," Yuugi grumbled and put his books on the table as he sat down. His mother breezed into the kitchen and wished everyone happily a good morning, commenting on Yuugi's tardiness as well. He blew a still-damp golden bang out of his face and chose not to respond.

"Here you are," Atemu said and put a bowl of oatmeal in front of him, not exactly Yuugi's first choice of breakfast. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice was served next to it and he started eating, if only to provide his body with the required nutrition for another busy day. Silently, he lamented the days that his grandfather used to prepare breakfast and allowed him to have any kind of sugar-loaded cereal and sweet pancakes with syrup, as much as he wanted. Oh well, at least he had the weekends to give into his cravings…

As usual, Atemu put a bento box and two pieces of fruit in his large book bag, adding to the already impressive weight. Yuugi knew he meant well, but for some reason it annoyed him. He didn't want to feel annoyed, and squashed that train of thoughts immediately. He knew he was going to enjoy the fruit later anyway, so what was the problem?

"You better get going, aibou," Atemu said as soon as he saw Yuugi clearing his bowl and chugging down the orange juice. Yuugi couldn't help but frown, annoyance resurfacing. He _knew _he was running late, he didn't need another reminder!

"I know," he said, more irritated than he intended, and he grabbed his book bag, hoisting it over his shoulder. He kissed Atemu as he passed him, aiming for the lips but ending up on his cheek as he hurried along. Running towards the front door, he took a slight detour to find his mother and give her a goodbye kiss before he left the house, slamming the door behind him.

The bus was crowded, but Yuugi managed to get himself a seat by wrestling himself towards the back, using his diminutive height to his advantage to move between people, avoiding elbows, handbags and umbrellas. With a sigh, he claimed the seat and pulled his heavy book bag onto his lap, hugging it closer to his chest by leaning onto it with his elbow. It was going to take twenty minutes before he would reach the campus; he had more than enough time to lose himself in his thoughts.

To say that everybody was surprised when Yuugi had chosen to go to university, was an understatement. His grades had always been average at best, often below-average despite his mother encouraging him and constantly checking up on him doing his homework. It wasn't a matter of intelligence; his 'problem' was simply that he wasn't interested enough in school. His mother blamed his lack of interest in anything educational on his endless love and fascination for games and gaming in general. After graduation from Domino High, all his friends had expected Yuugi to start working in the Game Shop, helping out his aging grandfather.

Atemu had all but taken that decision out of his hands, or so Yuugi thought. The former Pharaoh insisted on a good education, repeating how important it was for one's life and career, and why would Yuugi want to work in the GameShop anyway when he, Atemu, was around to help out grandfather? Yuugi had felt incredibly guilty when he noticed the passion Atemu encouraged him to pursue an educational career, a chance that Atemu himself would never get as he wasn't a registered citizen (the Gods had conveniently forgotten everything about social security numbers and birth certificates, but well, they weren't really to blame, now were they?). The guilt aside, Yuugi had started to feel as if he really was throwing his life away if he didn't get a degree, and both Atemu's and his mother's visible pride outweighed his own doubt when he enrolled at Domino University.

The first year went fairly well, but the second year had been a struggle from the start. Yuugi's motivation was low and everything he worked so hard for, crumbled and slipped through his fingers. It wasn't of lack of encouragement or interest, but whatever had kept him going, was completely gone and he didn't know why. Atemu had hand-picked Yuugi's classes in the first year, but when it came to his major, Yuugi had protested. Going to university was one thing, becoming an Egyptologist was another - he wasn't going to study hieroglyphs just because Atemu wanted him to. He still had to decide on his master, but he knew that expectations were really high. Too high.

Lately, everything about university irritated him. The days were tiresome and stressing, and once again, he didn't know what started it, and more so, how to solve it. He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to go to university anymore, and the vehemence of his thoughts shocked him. What was it he wanted to do then, if he wasn't going to get a proper education? Atemu and his mother would be so disappointed if he quit, yet Yuugi wondered how much longer he could hold on. This train of thoughts kept going on his mind, mentally exhausting him even before the day began - and when the bus came to a halt, he had to hurry to get off, allowing himself to be swept away by the slew of commuters and students.

* * *

Lunchtime seemed to slowly roll around, and Yuugi was all but exhausted. He searched for a table in the crowded cafeteria, waiting for Jounouchi to show up.

Though it had been a surprise when Yuugi went to university, the surprise was even greater when Jounouchi enrolled as well. Not known for his excellence at high school, it was amazing how well he did now on his medical studies, even if he had barely met the requirements. Jounouchi's determination was well-known, and he wanted to become a pediatrician; after what his sister Shizuka went through, he wanted to help out kids in a similar situation. Yuugi knew Jounouchi was going to be a great doctor; he had a wonderful way dealing with children.

"You look tired," was the first thing Jounouchi said. He sat down opposite of Yuugi, whipping out his bento box from his large bag.

"I haven't been sleeping very well." Yuugi stared at his own bento, not feeling hungry in particular.

"Those dreams again?" Of course Jounouchi knew about Yuugi's bad nights, there was nothing the two friends kept from each other. Yuugi nodded

"Yuugi… I don't know how to say this to you," Jounouchi sighed as he opened his bento box.

"You can tell me anything, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi said. His stomach tied itself into a knot.

"You've got to listen to yourself for a change, Yuugi." Jounouchi rubbed over the bridge of his nose, as if he was a little embarrassed to tell his friend this. "You've always been there, always helping us, your friends, someone else, always running behind Atemu, always doing things that other people wanted or needed, not even caring for your own needs. I mean, how to explain it… just listen to yourself! You love games instead of wasting your time here, studying something that you don't really want to study! I'm sure Kaiba," his face twitched at the name of his 'nemesis', "will give you a job immediately if you ask him. Do something what _you_ like, what _you_ want! All this time you have taken care of us. Why don't you take care of yourself for a change?"

"He wants me to become a doctor, or a professor," Yuugi said, avoiding the question.

"Atemu might want that, but it's not what _you_ want. You want to design and develop games, not to end up like a boring, dull professor in a tweed jacket."

"But you'd need an education to become a game designer, wouldn't you?"

"What education? You're the King of Games, for crying out loud!" Jounouchi snorted. "You have all the experience you need! No education can outweigh your experience."

"Do you really think so?"

"I don't only think so, I'm sure of it!"

Yuugi was toying with his food, poking with his chopsticks at the bento. "He wants the best for me," he said.

"I know, Yuugi, but if he really wants the best for you, then he would listen to you and start acknowledging that he can't live his dreams through you. I'm sorry, but the best for you is to quit university and follow your _own_ dreams for once. I hate to see you unhappy, you know that."

"I thought that a relationship… our relationship would be all nice and wonderful. Which it is," Yuugi hastily added, "we love each other very much."

"Of course you do," Jounouchi said, already on his way to finish his bento, munching on the last bite of rice. "I told Shizuka recently that if somehow your love for each other could be transformed into some kind of energy, the whole city and more could be powered with it. No one questions that."

Yuugi beamed at him. It was always so nice to hear that people had a positive impression of their relationship. He was glad that nobody questioned his love for Atemu and vice versa, that was for sure.

"But, any relationship is hard work," Jounouchi said. "I tried with Mai, but… you have to talk, talk, talk and I guess that's no different with your relationship. It's hard work, truly, but it's worthwhile. That is, if everything works out… and even with talking, it's not a guarantee that a relationship will work out, of course."

"I feel like I failed." Yuugi stared at his mashed food.

"Of course not, don't be silly!" Jounouchi turned serious. "However, Atemu won't like what you're going to tell him. But you're not on this earth to fulfill _his_ dreams, and he shouldn't outlive his dreams through you."

"I feel sad," Yuugi said, shifting uncomfortably. "He would love to stand in my shoes and get the chance of studying. I'm sure he'd be the best of every class he would take."

Jounouchi sipped his milk. "Then try to find a way for him that he can study," he said. "Private teachers, remote teaching, heck, he can even take your social security number and take your place! Your physical similarities are uncanny, and you know how no one checks student ID's around here. At least, not that much. No one will notice the difference."

"How am I going to tell him?" Yuugi suddenly feared going home. "He's going to be so disappointed."

"He'll live," Jounouchi winked at him. "It's not easy, I'll admit. But for your own sake, Yuugi, talk to him. You're not going to improve the situation by remaining silent."

* * *

Atemu wasn't in the kitchen when Yuugi arrived home. The table was set for two; Yuugi hadn't seen either his mother or his grandfather around, so that meant they had the house to themselves. Slightly nervous, Yuugi licked his lips. A knot was forming in his stomach. Perhaps he could talk to Atemu sooner about his doubts than he had expected.

"Mou hitori no boku? Where are you?"

"I am here, aibou," Atemu's voice came from down the hall, "just a moment." He rummaged through a cupboard to dig up candles and some holders and walked back to the kitchen, putting everything on the table.

"Mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said.

"Mother and grandfather are out for the evening, so I thought we could have a nice dinner and spend some quality time. Just the two of us," Atemu said. Yuugi had already smelled the delicious oden, stewing in the pan. As he watched Atemu setting the table, every movement elegant and graceful and filled with confidence, he felt his determination giving out on him. He decided to postpone talking to Atemu about university, and took a matchbox out of a kitchen drawer to light the candles.

Yuugi loved his family, but it was so nice to share dinner with only the man he loved. The atmosphere was more intimate and it felt so good, so relaxed, that he even ate two bowls and still had room for dessert.

When they finished eating, Atemu suggested going to the living room, and leaving the dirty dishes for later. Yuugi didn't feel like scrubbing pots and pans right away either, so he allowed himself to be swayed by his lover. Not that Atemu needed to do much convincing. Yuugi cuddled up to him on the sofa, and Atemu wrapped his arm around his shoulder, gently nuzzling his neck, heaving a blissful sigh. As Yuugi tilted his head a little, Atemu immediately found his lips and kissed him, lovingly, adoringly. They continued to kiss, completely wrapped up in each other. Yuugi couldn't get enough of the kisses, reveling in the attention he was receiving. Atemu nipped at his lips some more, before he pulled back.

"It is so nice to have some time to ourselves, aibou. I enjoy mother's and grandfather's company, but I like spending time with you the most."

"Me too, mou hitori no boku, me too." Yuugi cuddled even closer. His arm went under Atemu's, so they were wrapped up in a nice, warm hug. He heaved a blissful sigh, enjoying the moment. They had never talked about moving out and living in an apartment on their own; Yuugi wanted to stay with his family as long as possible. It made these moments even more special, and he was feeling happy, relaxed in Atemu's arms. Perhaps this was the right moment after all, to… start talking about what was bothering him?

"Do you like working in the store, mou hitori no boku?" He asked, his voice soft. Atemu pressed a kiss on his forehead.

"I am surrounded by games all day, I get to talk about games all day, and I can try out games all day…what more is there to like?"

"I'm happy that you like it," Yuugi murmured, inhaling Atemu's scent. "But wouldn't you… you know, like to go to university? Take classes?"

"M-mm," Atemu made a noncommittal sound, his hands patting Yuugi's hair in the meantime. A comfortable silence followed, the both of them relaxed in each other's arms.

"Mou hitori no boku?"

"I would love to go to university, aibou," Atemu said. His fingers raked through Yuugi's hair, brushing the golden bangs and tucking them behind his ear. "I am so glad that you are going, and doing so well."

Yuugi almost forgot to breathe. This was his cue! Atemu just gave him a perfect opening.

"About university, mou hitori no boku.."

"I am so proud of you," Atemu continued, "you are going to be a doctor, a professor, and you will see, every door will open for you. You have so much potential, aibou, and I know the university will bring out the best in you."

"Yes, but that is…"

"I know it is hard work, and that it might be difficult." He pressed another kiss on Yuugi's forehead. "I will do everything in my power to help you, aibou, if you need anything, just tell me. We are all so proud of you, and when you have graduated, life will hold no limits for you."

Yuugi couldn't bring himself to say what he wanted to say. He heard the pride in Atemu's voice, he heard the utter faith, and he simply went silent - which Atemu took as his cue to continue to kiss him. Yuugi loved being kissed, he melted into them, and he didn't protest at all when his shirt fell on the floor and his bare skin was touched.

* * *

The piece of paper stared at him. A blank sheet of paper. It mocked him. It laughed at him. It was lying there on his desk, empty, demanding to be written on. Yuugi refrained from tapping with his pencil on his desk; he didn't want to disturb the other students caught up in the exam. He knew this. He knew the answers. He could do this. He had studied this subject long enough, rehearsed it again and again...but the words swam around in his brain, all juggled, unable to form coherent sentences. The answers were right in front of him, but he was unable to grasp them. His vision blurred, and Yuugi blinked - was he having a panic attack?

He glared at the clock on the wall. The exam had just started and the mere thought of sitting here for at least two hours, two hours of pure torture, suddenly got him almost hyperventilating. _Calm down, calm down, _he kept telling himself. It didn't help matters much that Yuugi, despite the nice and relaxing evening prior, had slept badly that night. The same nightmare, the same feelings of suffocation… and now he was taking this exam, and failing horribly.

The two hours finally went by, agonizingly slow. Yuugi felt incredibly relieved when he was allowed to put his pencil down. He had answered the questions, but to him it was all gibberish. He went to the cafeteria in search for Jounouchi, and found his friend already at their table, munching on a sandwich.

"How did your exam go?" Jounouchi asked.

"Horrible," Yuugi said as he sat down and buried his head in his hands. "Absolutely horrible. I just couldn't do it, I just couldn't. It all disappeared from my mind, I couldn't write it down properly."

"Oh man," Jounouchi sympathized. He put his hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "You must tell him that it's suffocating you. He has no right to put you through all of this and causing you all this stress."

"It's not his fault," Yuugi immediately protested. "I should've said immediately that I didn't want to do this."

"Yuugi, you wanted this at first too, remember? You were very enthusiastic at the start. It's not a crime or a shame to change your mind along the way. You've tried, you've given it a shot, and you discovered that it wasn't something for you, or at least not something that you would like to do for another three years. So be it! You can't force yourself to like something when your heart isn't into it."

"I wish he wasn't so hung up on university and education," Yuugi said, his voice turning sad. "He'll be so disappointed when I quit."

"You're not him and he's not you," Jounouchi said with his mouth full. "We talked about this before, Yuugi, and this situation will continue until you do something about it. You have to tell him this isn't what you want, and too bad if he's disappointed. It's your life, not his. Listen, if things get really rough, I'll talk to him, okay?"

Yuugi looked up at him. Jounouchi, who had been crying at Atemu's original depart, was willing to fight his friend? "Jounouchi-kun?"

"You're my best friend, Yuugi."

"Mou hitori no boku isn't..?"

Jounouchi shook his head. "He's my best friend too. But you're my bestest best friend, Yuugi, and besides, best friends can say anything to each other, otherwise they wouldn't be best friends! Wow, that's a lot of 'best friend's' in one sentence!"

Yuugi couldn't help but snicker. Jounouchi never failed to cheer him up.

"Listen, your Pharaoh boyfriend is a good person and I know you love him and he loves you. Like I said before, no one questions that! But a relationship doesn't only thrive on love. It's about feelings and being able to communicate, and cherishing mutual respect for each other."

"Wow Jounouchi-kun, that's really deep!"

"Well yeah, I read it somewhere on a napkin. Now, are you going to finish that bento of yours or what?"

* * *

Yuugi opened the door to the stock room. Every Thursday, a new shipment of games and supplies came in, and as grandfather wasn't able to lift heavy boxes with his bad back, Atemu had taken upon himself to unpack everything in the rearranged stock room. While grandfather was taking care of the shop this afternoon, the former Pharaoh occupied himself with the inventory; Yuugi could hear the sound of boxes being cut open, and nimble hands going through their contents.

He felt his stomach tie itself in knots all over again. He was going to hurt the other, Yuugi was sure of it - but at the same time, he saw no other way to bring the message to Atemu without disappointing him. That was hurting even more than anything else.

"Mou hitori no boku?"

Atemu looked up from the opened box in front of him. "I am right here, aibou! How did your exam go? You must have done well, you are home so early."

"I failed the exam and I want to quit university, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said bluntly.

Atemu arched his eyebrows. A smile, albeit not a happy one, tugged at his lips. "That is not a funny joke, aibou."

"I'm not joking. I really want to quit university, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi repeated.

"Nonsense, aibou," Atemu said, confusion showing on his face. "A good education is very important. Why would you give up on that?"

"It's not what I want," Yuugi said. There was no heating in the stock room, but the chilly feelings in his body didn't come from the low temperature in the room. Atemu put down the packing list he was checking, still confused. He frowned.

"Aibou, what do you mean? You know that a degree is the best start in your life, your career. Education is important, you cannot give that up right now."

"I've already decided," Yuugi said, holding onto his last thread of courage. "It's not what I want, mou hitori no boku. It stresses me, it doesn't bring me any joy. I don't want to be a professor or a doctor. It's not meant for me."

"That is not true," Atemu said. "I want the best for you, and I know you can do this. The study is not easy, but if I can do something to help…"

"It's not only about university, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. He took a deep breath. This was going to be the hardest part, the deepest trouble he had to admit to himself. Saying it out loud didn't make it any easier. "You make every decision for me. I can't do anything on my own, without you deciding in the first place."

"Aibou, what are you talking about? I always ask for your opinion!"

"Yes you do. You ask, but you don't listen to the answer. You do what you think is in my best interest, but you overlook my feelings or opinion on the matter."

"I am not belittling you, aibou," Atemu said.

"No, but you are… explicitly present," Yuugi said. He winced under Atemu's stern look, knowing that the other was straining to hide his disappointment and growing anger. "Don't you understand, mou hitori no boku? I went to university mostly because I wanted to please you. I don't regret it, not at all, but it would never have been my choice. You made that decision for me."

"You could have chosen any study you wanted," Atemu said, voice clipped.

"You're NOT listening! You're doing it again!"

"I am certainly listening to you, aibou. What makes you say all of these things? You have never spoken these thoughts to me before."

"True," Yuugi admitted. He lowered his eyes a little, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. He was searching for strength, for courage to push through. "I… remember the nightmares I had? It was because of the stress, mou hitori no boku."

"_I_ gave you nightmares?" Atemu looked and sounded incredulous, with a dangerous hint of anger.

"No, you don't understand! Please, just listen to me. Mou hitori no boku… I love you so much. I know you love me. But sometimes it's.. too overwhelming and I can't find any room for myself, if you know what I mean. Like I'm not Yuugi anymore. Going to university isn't something I want, not any longer. I want to do something I like, find my own way in the world."

"Are you really going to give up a perfect university career because of a few nightmares?"

"Mou hitori no boku, that's not the point…"

"Oh, I got the point all right, aibou," Atemu said. "I do nothing but overwhelm you, apparently?"

"Please don't get upset, mou hitori no boku. There are some things I need to do on my own, don't you understand?"

"What is it exactly you are talking about? And do you have to discuss these things in a cold storage room?"

"Then where you do want to talk about it?"

"Do not yell at me! I am not the one talking about giving up a perfect education and accusing me of overwhelming you!"

"I don't accuse you of anything! You're the one who's yelling!" Yuugi felt his heart sink. This was getting out of hand. It was erupting like a volcano and now there was no stopping it. The dam had broken and Yuugi was spilling out everything that had bothered him as of late, starting out with the university… but it quickly turned into the deep-rooted trouble underneath it all: Atemu's overbearing attitude.

"If the study is too much at this moment, perhaps a break is in order?" Atemu suggested, his voice almost back to normal volume. Yuugi heaved a sigh.

"I don't want a break, I want to quit. Totally and completely quit. I'll finish this year because the semester is almost over, but I'm not going back for the third year. I'm not going back, ever."

The silence that fell was uncomfortable. Atemu's disapproving frown was too much for Yuugi to bear, so he turned around and left the stockroom, trying to keep his hands from shaking. This was the first real argument they ever had, they had even yelled. Had grandfather overheard it, in the GameShop? Neither one of them had exactly toned down their voice… Yuugi didn't like arguing, he hated fighting. It was awful, and he felt bad about it, real bad. But this was so important, this was his life; he couldn't sweep this under the rug.

He avoided Atemu for the rest of the day and at dinnertime, the tension was palpable. The elderly family members, Yuugi's mother and grandfather, were oddly silent as well. Nobody started up a conversation and Yuugi was glad when finally all the dishes were cleared and he could leave the kitchen. He fled to the bedroom and hurled himself onto the bed, wondering if he was going to cry or laugh hysterically. He couldn't make heads or tails out of his own emotions, everything was so confusing. Yuugi stayed inside the room until it was night; he pretended to be asleep when Atemu slipped between the sheets.

* * *

Yuugi didn't feel much better the next days. He wanted to feel relieved now that he had taken the decision to quit university, but he felt weighed down by Atemu's disappointment. The former Pharaoh didn't understand how Yuugi could give up on his education, and he was supported in this by Yuugi's mother, who was disappointed as well. Seeing his mother disappointed and frustrated about his decision, added even more to Yuugi's burden. His grandfather simply said that he had seen it coming, and that he would stand by Yuugi, no matter what he chose to do with his life. Yuugi was grateful for his support, as well as for his friends' support.

Jounouchi tried to cheer him up, Anzu encouraged him to follow his own path, and Honda and Otogi agreed that Yuugi should take charge of his own life instead of trying to constantly please others. More so, Otogi immediately offered Yuugi a position in his staff at the Black Crown, 'before Kaiba got wind of it'.

Excited about the job offer, Yuugi returned home. He hoped that this news would lift the negative atmosphere in the house, as he and Atemu had barely spoken to each other since their fight. It wasn't sitting well with him, and he was sure it was bothering Atemu as well, but neither one had taken the first step to talk to each other.

Yuugi went upstairs to find Atemu in the bedroom, and not only that… Atemu was carefully packing a suitcase, and Yuugi thought he was going to faint.

"What are you doing?" He asked, voice shrill.

"I will be visiting Hokkaido tomorrow," Atemu answered. "Grandfather is feeling under the weather, so I will take his place at the convention."

"Oh, the games convention?" Yuugi leaned against the doorpost to find his balance again. For a moment he thought that the other was going to leave him… "I wish I could go with you."

"I am sorry, aibou, but unfortunately the event is invitation only, and I am not allowed to take a guest with me."

"Too bad." Well, maybe as Otogi's staff member he could earn the privilege of visiting game conventions soon. His face lit up, and voice brightly, he announced: "Otogi-kun offered me a job! I can start as soon as possible! He wants me on his staff as game designer and developer!"

Atemu all but froze, a shirt neatly folded in his hands. "A job?"

"Yes," Yuugi still beamed. "Isn't it great, mou hitori no boku? I'm going to work with games, just like you! I'm going to develop my own games!"

His smile slowly faltered when there was no enthusiastic reaction. In fact, Atemu looked puzzled, confused, as if Yuugi had suggested something extremely weird.

"A job with Otogi," Atemu finally said. "Aibou, why..? Just a few years more, and you have your degree. You can work long enough after you have graduated. There is so much more to you than game designing."

"But it's what _I_ want to do," Yuugi said, voice a little petulant. He couldn't help it. "I've tried university, and I've realized that I don't want to become a professor. I'm sorry, mou hitori no boku, if I'm shattering your dreams, but it's my life we're talking about, and I want to do something I enjoy."

"This conversation will have to wait," Atemu said brusquely. "I have to leave early in the morning and I still have a lot of packing to do."

"No, it can't wait." Yuugi took a step in his lover's direction. "Please, mou hitori no boku, I want to talk about this before you leave."

"We have spoken about this before, aibou. You have made your point very clear. I understand that it is about your life, aibou. I would not want to dictate your life or overwhelm you with making decisions for you."

"That's not fair," Yuugi shot back.

"You never told me before it bothered you so much," Atemu said.

"I admit that I should've talked to you earlier," Yuugi said. "But I was, and still am, afraid of disappointing you. Don't deny it, you _are _disappointed in me, in my decision, but I still stand by it. I just couldn't live up to your expectations anymore, mou hitori no boku."

"I only want the best for you." Atemu dropped the shirt into the suitcase, and stared at it. "I simply do not understand, aibou. I still think that you made a rash decision to quit university. Why give up such a bright future? Why turn your back to it all, right now?"

"Because you're too strong," Yuugi sighed. He touched Atemu at the elbow, wanting to stay in touch with him. He didn't pull back, but his posture was rigid, tense. "You're so incredibly strong. When you were still in the Puzzle, when you were in the Memory World… I always felt I was running behind you, that I couldn't catch up with you. But now it feels like drowning, choking, and I don't want to be weighed down."

"It is good to know I am such a horrible influence on your life, aibou," Atemu said and this time he took a step back, breaking the contact between the two of them. "I will be sleeping in the guest room tonight. The Gods would never forgive me if I would keep on drowning and choking you."

"That's not fair, mou hitori no boku!"

"Good night, Yuugi."

"Get back here, Atemu!" Yuugi called after him angrily, but the former Pharaoh had already left the room and smacked the door close behind him. Yuugi fell on the bed, his hands balling into fists out of sheer anger and frustration. Why did Atemu react like this? Why didn't he understand? Why was this all so difficult?

* * *

This was one of his last days at Domino University. Yuugi wanted to finish his year by taking the last exams he had studied for. His decision had lifted a great weight from his shoulders, but he was disappointed and saddened by Atemu's lack of understanding and support. Why couldn't he see what was happening? Was it that hard to let him… breathe? Yuugi hadn't liked it at all to spend the night alone in bed. He hadn't seen Atemu this morning either, as he had left early for the convention in Hokkaido. This whole situation was stressful for the both of them; Yuugi thought that it might be a good idea if they could go away for a weekend to clear the tension. But for now, he had an exam to concentrate on. He moved his pen over the sheets to write down his answer.

He didn't hear the door being opened and closed. The only sounds in the room were the pens on paper, scribbling words and sentences to answer the questions. A small cough here and there, a little labored breathing from stress and tension perhaps; Yuugi was concentrating hard, finishing another answer before moving on to the next question. The hand on his shoulder was completely unexpected and he gasped out loud.

"Mutou-san," the sensei whispered low in his ear. "Please come with me."

It felt like someone punching him in the stomach. What was going on? Yuugi didn't understand, but he silently packed his things into his book bag. Yuugi glanced at his answer sheet, and the sensei whispered: "Just leave it, I'll get it. Now come with me."

The urge in the man's voice grated on Yuugi's nerves. A few other students, annoyed by the interruption, glared at him. For some reason, Yuugi was suddenly bothered by the fact that they might think he'd been caught cheating. What would he care? Yuugi couldn't help the train of thoughts spinning around in his head, as he wondered why he was called out of the exam.

Outside, the sensei turned towards him and spoke in a low voice. "Your mother is here to take you to the hospital, Mutou-san."

"Kaa-san? Hospital?" Yuugi's eyes turned wider. He saw his mother standing a little further down the hall, her coat over her arms. _Jii-chan,_ it shot through Yuugi's mind, _something is wrong with jii-chan._

Mutou Yushiko shook her head as if she could read her son's mind. She reached for him.

"It's Atemu-san, dear. We have to go now, quickly."

"What... _what_? WHAT?"

"I don't know the details yet," she said, voice thick. "He was hit by a car. Hokkaido traffic is so much busier than Domino's… we have to hurry, Yuugi-kun."

If Yuugi had felt that someone had punched him in the stomach before, now it felt like someone was ripping out his heart. A cold, numb feeling fell over him, freezing him on the spot. His mother had to pull him with her, and he moved like a robot, completely in a trance. Nausea waved through him and his body started to hurt, pins and needles everywhere, and silent tears slid over his cheeks. Vaguely, he registered how he sat down in the car, his mother driving through the streets to the hospital and how minutes went by like hours, the time stretching out in front of him, almost tangible, laughing at him. If his mother was talking to him, he didn't hear it, he didn't notice it. He felt pain, a body and mind numbing pain that rendered him immobile. He was glad his mother was with him, because he was so upset he wouldn't have found his way to the hospital in his current mindset.

"We're here," she said, parking the car and turning the engine off. She looked at her son, noticing his pale face and trembling hands. "Yuugi-kun…"

"Do you know…" he started, his voice trailing off. Mutou Yushiko reached for her son's hand, squeezing it gently.

"He's not in any danger," she tried to reassure him. "When they called me, I thought…" She took a deep breath and patted his hand again. "We'll talk about it later, Yuugi-kun. He needs you now. Let's get going."

Yuugi allowed his mother to guide him through the long hallways of the hospital; she knew where to go to and he simply followed, a little bit relieved, yet his fragile nerves made him skittish at every sound he heard. He was afraid, he was sad and angry at the same time, and his emotions were so conflicting and confusing that it physically hurt him. He wanted to throw up and swallowed harshly, until they came to stand still in front of a door, open at a very slight angle.

"Here it is." His mother's voice was soft yet encouraging. "Let's go inside."

Yuugi entered the room, his heart thundering inside his chest, fearful of what he was going to see. Breathing harshly, his eyes still watery from the tears, he saw Atemu in the hospital bed, face pale, eyes closed.

"Mou hitori no boku?" Yuugi's voice was nothing but a whisper as he approached the bed.

"He can't hear you," his mother said. "He's still sedated from the surgery. I'll see if I can find a doctor." She hugged her son briefly before leaving the room.

Yuugi swallowed once more. He had only been in the hospital to accompany his grandfather for an exam or check-up. He'd never seen someone he loved in a hospital bed, so vulnerable, so fragile… Yuugi shuffled to the bed, repeating 'mou hitori no boku' over and over again. His eyes took him in, the man he loved, his face stern and worried in this artificial sleep, a huge pad of gauze on his right cheek where his face had hit the pavement. The surrounding skin was still tender, an angry red.

"Mou hitori no boku…" Yuugi moved his hand, reaching for Atemu's, gently taking the cold fingers between his own, stroking and rubbing them. It felt so wrong to see him lying in bed like this. Yuugi leaned into him, checking his breathing, slow but even. His other hand moved to cup Atemu's face, the side that hadn't been injured, and he touched his skin as if he wanted to feel if it was really Atemu, and not some sick prank being played on him. But it was really him, it was really his Other Self… the sadness was so overwhelming that his breathing choked up.

He didn't know how long he was standing there, next to the bed, holding Atemu's hand and stroking his face, when he finally noticed his eyes flutter. Quickly, Yuugi leaned into him some more, whispering his name. Atemu opened his eyes and finally looked at him, bleary, disorientated. Yuugi pecked him carefully on the cheek.

Atemu parted his lips, but his voice didn't cooperate. "Aibou," he managed to speak, drowsily.

"Shhh," Yuugi said. "You're safe, mou hitori no boku."

"Safe?"

"You were in an accident," Yuugi explained. He brushed a golden bang out of Atemu's face. "I'm not sure what exactly happened, but you broke your leg."

"My leg," Atemu parroted, but it was obvious that he didn't understand. He wasn't feeling pain at the moment; the sedation hadn't worn off yet. He didn't try to look at his leg, and Yuugi avoided focusing his attention to it. He put butterfly kisses all over Atemu's face, mumbling his name and "It's going to be all right" over and over again. Atemu's eyes already slid close again, and Yuugi pressed another kiss on his forehead.

"Rest now, my Pharaoh," he whispered and took a step back from the bed as the door opened, his mother and a doctor entering.

"I'm doctor Satsumori," the man introduced himself. He carried a clipboard with him, and looked at the chart on it, tapping it with his finger. "It looks worse than it is. Your brother suffered physical injuries that will heal in time."

It figured that Atemu had Yuugi's ID with him to enter the convention. After all, the Pharaoh didn't exist in this world. Yuugi didn't comment on the 'brother' part. With their physical alikeness, it wasn't strange that people assumed they were siblings. It was often for the better to just keep it that way, saving them both the hassle of explaining.

"Unfortunately, the fracture is very complicated," the doctor continued. "It's going to take hard work and dedication to get it healed and back up to its original strength. However, seeing the impact of the accident, your brother can be considered extremely lucky. It could have been much worse. Bruised and sore all over, but no internal organs were damaged."

"That's good to hear," Yuugi said, sharing his relief with his mother. "Thank you, Satsumori-sama."

The doctor showed a kind smile. "I have to go make my rounds."

Yuugi thanked the doctor once more and turned his head back to Atemu, noticing to his surprise that he hadn't fallen asleep after all. Atemu moved his hand, and Yuugi took it again between his hands, rubbing over his cold fingers.

"How long have I been here?" Atemu asked, voice still hoarse and unsteady.

"You have to stay here for a while, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi answered. "You were in an accident, remember?" It felt like days had gone by, but Yuugi had seen the clock on the wall; it had been merely an hour since he had been called away from his exam.

"But aibou…"

"Do you remember what happened?"

Atemu shook his head, eyes narrowed and his brow frowning as he tried to remember. "I wasn't paying attention, I guess," he said. "Aibou…"

"I love you so much," Yuugi said, pressing a kiss on Atemu's fingers. "I'm going to ask if I can spend the night here, all right? That way I can stay close to you, in case you need something."

He didn't receive an answer, and he looked up; this time Atemu had fallen asleep, failing to hear the last words that Yuugi spoke.

"It's for the best if he rests right now," Yuugi's mother agreed. She dug in her purse for her car keys. "I'll go home to get you some things to spend the night here, and some things for Atemu-san as well… I'll bring grandfather too for the visiting hour."

"That's fine, thank you, kaa-san." Yuugi give his mother a quick, but intense hug. "Thank you."

"We'll do everything we can to get him home as soon as possible," she said, her voice a little unstable. She had grown fond of Atemu, and Yuugi was well aware of what he meant to the entire family. He said goodbye to his mother and watched her leave. Yuugi took the plastic chair from the corner of the room and sat down, completely lacking energy and strength.

_I wasn't paying attention, I guess… _Yuugi had quite the disturbing feeling that he knew why Atemu hadn't been paying attention to the busy traffic in the first place. They had parted without resolving the fight, and Yuugi was sure the former Pharaoh's mind had just been occupied as his own. If Atemu really had failed to notice the oncoming car because of everything that had happened, then Yuugi could already feel the guilt crushing down on him.

Was this his fault? Was this the result of their fighting? Was this the result of his choice to finally take the reins of his life into his own hands? Yuugi trembled. He tried to calm himself down, but he faltered. It couldn't be, could it? If only… if only he just had continued to please, if only he had kept quiet and had done what others wanted him to do… he couldn't believe it himself, he refused to believe it. He had a right to his own place, hadn't he? There was room in this universe for Mutou Yuugi, to be happy? And now… now he was in the hospital, and everything was just… wrong. If only he… Yuugi buried his head in his hands, feeling utterly desperate and broken. There was no other sound in the room but his soft crying and Atemu's breathing.


	5. Coming to Terms, part 2

Title: Coming to Terms, part II

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Characters: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu)/ Mutou Yuugi

Prompt: #72, Fixed

Word Count: 7.814

Rating: PG for some shounen-ai.

Summary: After coming home from the hospital, Atemu has difficulties adjusting to the changes in their relationship, straining it even more. He and Yuugi both have to find a different definition of how they can be together in an equal balance, now that the previous dynamics have been altered.

Author's Notes: AU, end of series 'fix-it'. Some angst. Made up name for Yuugi's mother: 'Yusuke'.

* * *

The rice cooker chimed and the laundry machine grinded to a halt at the same second the phone started ringing loudly. Yuugi quickly turned off the cooker, grabbed the phone while walking over to the laundry machine, stabbed the 'release' button and said: "Moshi moshi?"

"Hey Yuugi, it's me!"

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi exclaimed loudly as he opened the door of the laundry machine. Wow, that new fabric softener really did smell like peach, just as the advertisement had promised!

"How are you? Do you need any help?"

"Not at the moment, no," Yuugi said, chipper. The laundry could wait for another few minutes while he finished dinner, the rice was already done. His grandfather and mother weren't at home tonight, so he could eat with the plate on his lap in front of the TV instead of setting the table. He was glad for his friend's offer, though.

It warmed his heart how everyone had spontaneously offered to help, as Yuugi had been overwhelmed to the point of shock, the very first days after Atemu's accident. It became painstakingly obvious how much the former Pharaoh did around the house - even Yuugi's mother was thrown off balance. It had taken them ages to find the insurance papers, digging through Atemu's neatly organized archive; however, he had filed everything in Ancient Egyptian alphabetical order instead of Japanese.

Anzu had helped out with cleaning and cooking, while Jounouchi's sister Shizuka had supplied him with unlimited amounts of cakes and cookies. She was great at baking and it was her own affectionate way of showing support. Jounouchi had taken care of chores around the house while Otogi had assisted with the bookkeeping and the business administration, helping grandfather out in the GameShop. Otogi had also insisted that Yuugi should stay home for as long as it took; he wouldn't want Yuugi to start his job when he was under so much stress.

"It's very kind of you to offer," Yuugi continued. He had surprised himself and his friends, juggling visits to Atemu in the hospital, helping out in the GameShop and in the household. He might fall asleep deadly tired every night, but he certainly wasn't as helpless as he had envisioned himself to be. It hadn't been without a struggle, though. He wouldn't have made it this far without the selfless help of his friends.

"Just checking up on you," Jounouchi said. "I don't want you to be all stressed out when your boyfriend comes home."

Yuugi nodded, even though Jounouchi couldn't see it. There was a small calendar next to the phone, the days meticulously crossed off. It had been weeks, but Yuugi had adjusted the calendar daily, sometimes crying. It had been very lonesome weeks.

"Tomorrow is the big day, he'll be released from the hospital," he said, tapping at the calendar, the exact day circled with large, black exclamation marks.

"I'm sure he'll be very happy to be out of there," Jounouchi said. He had a love/hate relationship with hospitals; when his sister was younger, she had to undergo risky eye surgery and he had hated all the doctors for putting her through so much pain. Now that he was older, and studying to become a pediatrician himself, the Domino City hospital was common grounds for him.

"If not the doctors and the staff," Yuugi chuckled softly. "You know him, mou hitori no boku can be very difficult."

"Very difficult indeed, I don't know how why you're still keeping him around," Jounouchi quipped in return.

"I'm so excited!" Yuugi said, and he really felt excited. After all those long, lonesome weeks, he would finally hold the man he loved so much, close again. Atemu would lie next to him again, holding him in his arms, and they would kiss and cuddle, and talk and watch TV together; the simplest things, not being bothered by visiting hours and hospital beds anymore.

"We're all glad that he's getting out of there," Jounouchi said truthfully. Everyone had been in shock after hearing the news of Atemu's accident. It was a harsh reminder of how fragile life was, how happiness and love could be destroyed in just mere seconds. Yuugi was forever grateful that his lover had 'only' ended up with a broken leg, albeit a complicated fractured one. Doctor Satsumori was right, it could've been so much worse. "So when he gets home, you're going to throw a party or what?"

"No, no party," Yuugi had to laugh. "We're going to spend the rest of the afternoon just with the two of us."

"Boring, but understandable," Jounouchi said. "Well, let us know when we're welcome to visit you at home, and if there's something we can do!"

"You've done more than enough, thank you so much," Yuugi said, genuinely grateful. "I'll call you later, Jounouchi-kun."

* * *

"Ready?" Mutou Sugoroku waited at the door, together with Yuugi's mother, Mutou Kyoko. They were both smiling brightly, excited to bring Atemu home. No more rides to the hospital after today which was a huge relief; nobody liked spending time at the hospital and as soon as Atemu got home, they hoped not to return for a long, long time. Yuugi had no doubt that Atemu was counting the seconds for them to arrive, so he made sure to leave early.

"Let's go," Yuugi said and held the door open for his elder family members. He felt light-hearted from happiness; finally, Atemu was coming home! He wanted to sing out loud and he chattered about nonsensical things on the way to the hospital. His mother and grandfather shared his good spirit; before they knew it, they had arrived at the large building, with plenty of time to spare.

Yuugi knew his way around and went immediately to the elevators. His stomach was tumbling around, his heart beating with anticipation and joy. He'd been looking forward to this day so much, and now it was finally here! He walked so fast that his grandfather and mother didn't even bother to keep up with him. Yuugi arrived at Atemu's room; the door was slightly ajar and Yuugi pushed it further open, a bright smile on his face. In another few seconds he was at the bed, not surprised to find Atemu sitting on it, all dressed and ready to leave. No words were exchanged, just a firm, intense hug; they clung to each other like a lost lifeline. Yuugi sighed blissfully as he felt Atemu's lips on his own.

"Mou hitori no boku, you're finally coming home with me," he said.

"Not a moment too soon," Atemu grumbled. Yuugi looked up at him, noticing the paleness on the former Pharaoh's face and his strained expression.

"Are you all right?"

"I did not sleep too well last night." Atemu shrugged. "I just want to leave, aibou."

Yuugi nodded, but didn't let go of him yet. Finally he broke up the hug, frowning.

"You lost weight, mou hitori no boku." It was out of his mouth before he realized it.

"I have not," Atemu was quick to deny and the rest of his answer was cut off as Yuugi's grandfather and mother swept into the room, along with doctor Satsumori. Behind them, a nurse followed with a wheelchair, riding it up to the hospital bed.

"We have to thank doctor Satsumori before we leave," Mutou Sugoroku said. The doctor was responsible for the surgery on Atemu's broken leg and had supervised the healing process. Due to the complicated nature of the fracture, Atemu had to stay longer in the hospital than anyone with a 'regular' broken leg.

The doctor, with his inseparable clipboard, nodded. "You'll have to keep yourself strictly to the prescribed physiotherapy, exercises and rest," he said. "And don't be too impatient, Mutou-san. Like I mentioned before, it's going to take some time to heal. In the meantime, I advise you to use this." He nodded to the wheelchair, and was unimpressed with Atemu's deadly glare at it.

"I will not sit in one of those contraptions."

"Mou hitori no boku,' Yuugi said softly, out of earshot of the doctor. "Please obey him for once, would you?"

Atemu crossed his arms in front of his chest and seemed to sulk. He knew he couldn't stand on his foot yet, let alone use his leg to walk. He had no choice, but Yuugi understood his dilemma. They didn't have time to sulk around; Yuugi wanted to go home and spend time with Atemu, quality time together after being separated for so long. He took Atemu at the elbow and gently, yet with a little pressure, helped him to get off of the bed. The nurse pushed the wheelchair a little closer.

"Careful, careful," Yuugi admonished him as Atemu sat down, an embarrassed and uncomfortable look on his face. They said their thanks and goodbyes to doctor Satsumori, and rolled Atemu out of the room. Grandfather carried the bag with Atemu's belongings as they went back to the car.

"What a hassle," Atemu said when he was helped into the car, and Yuugi started to fold up the wheelchair.

"It's all right, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. "It's just temporary."

"You can leave that thing here," Atemu stared at the wheelchair as if he could blast it into a million pieces just by looking at it. "I am not going to use it."

"Yes you will," Yuugi said and a little bit of frustration crept into his voice. Why was the other being so difficult? "You can't walk around on your leg right now, mou hitori no boku. Do as the doctor says. You'll be on crutches soon enough."

Atemu was silent, perhaps offended, but Yuugi didn't notice as he was too busy putting the wheelchair in the back of the car and making sure that everyone was seated and buckled down before they could leave.

* * *

The GameShop had always been a quaint building. It was very colorful on the outside, and much bigger on the inside than anyone would think. The store and the stock room were located on the ground floor, and the living quarters and bedrooms on the first and second floor. Yuugi's grandfather had been immediately in love with the unconventional layout of the house and Yuugi didn't know any better. Now the stairs were going to pose a problem, he was afraid.

"Fortunately, you have to go upstairs only once," grandfather mentioned as he helped Atemu inside the building. Yuugi's mother had taken the bag with Atemu's clothing and belongings.

"I will go back to work as soon as possible," the former Pharaoh said curtly.

"No you won't, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi immediately answered. "You know what Satsumori-sama said. You're going to rest and keep yourself to his schedule."

"Aibou, I think I have had enough rest for now." There was definitely a hint of irritation in his voice, but Yuugi chose to ignore it for now.

"All right, upstairs we go," he said. "Slow and easy, step by step."

It took them forever, as Atemu had to lean heavily on Yuugi, shifting his weight from time to time and trying to withstand the pain with every movement. He had to lift up his injured and fully cast leg for the next step, and then hoisting his body weight up… it went slow and awkward and it was painful. Yuugi supported him as much as he could, gently coaxing Atemu to continue. When they were finally upstairs, Atemu wasn't the only one panting from the exertion.

"Let's get you into the living room," Yuugi said. He had the faint suspicion that Atemu wasn't going to appreciate being put to bed, so soon after leaving the hospital. And well, he was looking forward to some tea…

* * *

Yuugi had told Jounouchi that there wasn't going to be a party, but he hadn't counted on his mother. She had invited everyone over for tea to celebrate the occasion. Shizuka had whipped up another batch of delicious cupcakes, muffins and assorted pastries, and Jounouchi, Honda, Anzu and Otogi had brought gifts, cards and flowers. Atemu was delighted to accept them, thanking everyone for their visits when he was in the hospital. Grandfather had closed the GameShop for the occasion, enjoying the mini-celebration and all the tea and delicious snacks. Yuugi simply couldn't find himself upset with his mother despite his initial plan to spend quality time with Atemu alone. Instead, he happily mingled with his friends, thanking them once more for their support.

It had only been an hour and a half, but Yuugi could see how exhausted Atemu was. The ride home from the hospital and walking up the stairs had taken an extreme toll on his body. He could see it in his posture; Atemu always sat up straight, but now he was sitting slouched, almost in a hunched position, with a cushion supporting his back. His face was still pale, except for some unhealthy red spots on his cheeks. Yuugi settled down on the sofa next to him.

"You're tired, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. "Let's get you to the bedroom, all right?"

"It is just the middle of the day, aibou," Atemu protested, but not as vehement as he could be.

"You should really rest, Atemu-kun," Anzu sipped her tea, "we were here to see you return home safely, and now that we know you are, you should keep yourself to what the doctor ordered you to do."

Atemu nodded, but reluctantly. Yuugi handed him one of the crutches they had taken along with the wheelchair from the hospital. Yuugi helped him to get up.

"Rest up," Jounouchi said, another muffin in his hand. "Don't worry, we'll be bothering you with visits more than enough!"

"Thank you," Atemu said, genuinely glad to be at home and see his friends again. Yuugi ushered him out of the living room after saying goodbye to everyone. He turned towards the stairs leading to the attic, but Yuugi shook his head.

"No, that would be way too impractical," he said. Yuugi's bedroom was in the attic and didn't have an adjacent bathroom. The guestroom did, and so he guided Atemu towards it. "Don't worry, I brought your favorite books down so you can read. Climbing up and down the stairs is a good exercise for later, but for now you need to rest, remember?"

Atemu heaved an exasperated sigh. "For now," he repeated, not sounding very happy.

"Mou hitori no boku, you need to lean on me," Yuugi said at Atemu was awkwardly trying to maintain his balance, seeking support as he leaned against the wall. He wasn't using the crutch correctly.

"I can handle it," Atemu answered, voice strained.

"That's not what I mean," Yuugi said, frowning. He wrapped his arm around Atemu's waist to support him as they shuffled towards the guestroom. A nauseous feeling settled in Yuugi's gut. The last few weeks, despite everything being so hectic, he had been able to think. About himself, about Atemu, about their relationship. The guilt that weighed on him was still crushing him - had he been responsible for Atemu's accident, as they had departed in anger? Yuugi had been thinking a _lot _in the early mornings, when he woke up in an empty bed, so cold and alone.

He hadn't dared to brush the subject with his mother, his grandfather or even his friends. It wasn't really fair, as he knew he could count on a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. No one would judge or condemn him, still he felt like… some kind of traitor. He had grown so much in so little time, he didn't want to go back to being dependant. There was a change going on, and he didn't know if Atemu would pick up on it. His lover would be adamant to continue his old ways, settle for the daily routine like before. Yuugi couldn't help but to utter a soft sigh. Atemu had to learn that he, Yuugi, wasn't as dependant as before. But before he could worry about it, Yuugi frowned. There was something else he had to address. He stood still in front of the bedroom door.

"Aibou..?"

"I heard the nurses complaining about you eating so little," Yuugi said. "I can feel your ribs, mou hitori no boku."

"Hospital food is awful," Atemu answered. Yuugi shook his head, but didn't press the issue. Not yet. He led Atemu inside and made him sit down on the bed.

"Do I have to change into pajamas?" he asked. Atemu wasn't too happy with wearing sweatpants all the time, but it was the only garment flexible enough to go around his cast. Yuugi shook his head again.

"When you're done resting, I'll help you change. Kaa-san will adjust a pair of pants so you can wear them instead of these, okay?"

"Fine," Atemu muttered and moved to lie down.

"Mou hitori no boku..." _You're acting like a five year old. _Yuugi bit his lip. It wasn't up to him to judge the other so harshly. After all, he wasn't the one with a complicated broken leg and in lots of physical pain. Carefully, he pulled the blanket over Atemu and lightly ruffled his hair, pressing a kiss to his cheek before leaving the room.

* * *

His friends were still talking and laughing while emptying Shizuka's basket of pastries. Jounouchi was a big help when it came to wolfing down the muffins, and Yuugi had to be quick to steal the last blueberry one.

"Did he give you any trouble?" Anzu winked at Yuugi. He blushed, mouth full.

"It's not easy for him," Yugui said after he swallowed. "He doesn't like being dependant now, and that's hard for him to deal with."

"It's always hard to deal with dependence," Shizuka said. Jounouchi's sister had been fairly silent, and her cheeks colored a little when everyone in the room looked at her. "I know what it's like to be in the hospital, of course. What it's like to not be yourself, to not be able to do what you want and how you're used to doing it. It doesn't matter how kind the nursing staff is, it's a little bit of yourself that you lose at that moment. You're feeling fragile, vulnerable, and I'm sure Atemu-san doesn't like to feel either way."

Otogi agreed. "I rather break an arm than a leg," he said. "Sure, I rather not break anything, but if I had to choose… being immobile is just the worst."

Anzu leaned to the side to pick up a heavy bag. "I brought some books," she said. "He's probably going to get bored out of his mind, so here's some reading material."

"Thank you, Anzu," Yuugi smiled as he took the bag. "Oh, and puzzle books as well? Thank you so much! He loves solving crosswords!"

"If you want me to go to the library to pick up more books, just let me know," Anzu said.

"Thank you. And, Otogi-kun, I want to get back to work full-time as soon as possible."

"So soon? Are you sure?"

"I'm taking care of Atemu-san while Yuugi-kun is at work," Yuugi's mother spoke up. Anzu tilted her head, a pensive look on her face.

"Does he know about this?"

A silence fell. Everybody knew Atemu's reaction to Yuugi choosing a job over his university career. In fact, just before the accident, they had been fighting over Yuugi's decision to take his life into another direction. During Atemu's hospitalization, the discussion had faded into the background, but wasn't forgotten.

"Not yet," Yuugi said, a little too airily. He was well aware that he had a lot of things to talk about with Atemu, and the job was the most important topic of discussion. Yuugi wasn't looking forward to it, because he was sure it was going to lead up to another confrontation. "I'm sure he'll understand that I can't stay at home all day."

Anzu looked a little doubtful, but smiled anyway. "I'm sure it'll work out," she said, as always optimistic and positive.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow, Yuugi-kun," Otogi added.

"Thank you for coming over," Yuugi said. "Your help means a whole lot to me."

"Talking about help, I'll stick around to take care of the mess," Anzu said, pointing at all the empty tea cups and saucers. Of course, this called for protests from Yuugi's mother, who argued that it was nothing, she could deal with it herself, but before she knew it, Jounouchi settled her into a chair with a magazine to read while the rest neatly cleaned the living room, washing all the dirty dishes. With so many helpful hands around, the work was done quickly and one by one, Yuugi's friends said goodbye to him. Shizuka, with her empty cupcakes basket, was the last to leave the building. Before she left, she quickly patted Yuugi on the shoulder.

"Don't fall him too hard," she said. "I had a lot of patience, but even though everybody kept telling me that it was temporary, it felt like there was no end to it at all."

Yuugi nodded, feeling a little downtrodden. "Thank you, Shizuka-chan. I won't."

* * *

The kiss was intense and passionate. Yuugi had missed lying next to his lover like this and hungrily returned the kiss, his arms around Atemu, snuggled close to him. The former Pharaoh returned the hug, his arms draped lazily around Yuugi, holding him as close as possible.

"Finally," Yuugi said, and he was glad to see the same passion in Atemu's eyes. They had missed each other so much; hospital beds weren't the best place for smooching. Now they were in each other's arms again, where they belonged.

"The guestroom finally proves its worth," Atemu said deadpan. Yuugi brushed a few golden bangs out of his face. The entire family had used the guestroom previously to store things, throwing clothes on the bed or putting books on the shelves, things that weren't needed but no one had the heart to get rid of. Before Atemu came home, Yuugi had freed the room from all its clutter and changed the bed linens.

"Walking up the stairs isn't good for you, at least not yet," Yuugi answered. "Once you start the exercises, you can try to climb the stairs, but for now we want to avoid excessive pressure."

"M-mm," Atemu made a non-committal sound. "I have been looking so much forward to share the bed with you again, aibou."

"Me too. I hate sleeping alone. The bed was so cold, it felt weird. I can't sleep without your arms around me. Pillows make for a lousy substitute."

Atemu smiled. "I am glad to hear that."

"Why?"

"I cannot imagine what I would do if the pillow had been a _good _substitute…"

"Silly Pharaoh," Yuugi kissed him again, "nothing can replace you, you know that." He heaved a sigh of pure bliss when Atemu's hand sank into his hair. He loved his hair being played with, and he continued to kiss his partner. "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

"You are the other half of my soul," Atemu said intensely. "I cannot live without you."

"I can't live without you either, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. "I don't know what to do without you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, aibou."

Another kiss, and another one. "Are you in any pain?" Yuugi asked, between kisses.

"Not at the moment," Atemu said. "Though the painkillers make me feel a little drowsy. My body…ah… does not react the way it used to."

"That's all right." Yuugi curled one of Atemu's golden bangs around his finger. "Don't feel guilty about it, mou hitori no boku. It'll come back, sooner or later. Don't forget that you're on heavy medication still, and it's going to take a while before you're in tip-top shape again."

"Bah," was the former Pharaoh's eloquent answer.

Yuugi reached over Atemu to turn out the light. "Let's get some sleep." He cuddled close, ecstatic about feeling Atemu's arms around him again.

* * *

Yuugi glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Half past seven. He still had some time before he had to leave for work, and Otogi was giving him some leeway, one big benefit when your friend was also your boss… not that it was Yuugi's intention to abuse Otogi's kindness. He picked up the tray with his and Atemu's breakfast on it and walked back to the guestroom. He smiled at seeing the other still asleep; resting was good for him and a night of undisturbed sleep was good for the healing process.

"Good morning, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said, keeping his voice soft as not to startle Atemu. He moved a little, opening his bleary eyes.

"Good morning, aibou," he said. "What time is it?"

"It's around half past seven," Yuugi answered. "Can you sit up? Wait, let me help you." He put the tray aside to help Atemu sit up and stuffed a few cushions behind his back for support. Atemu hid a yawn behind his hand.

"It is still so early," he said. "At the hospital, the day started so early too."

Yuugi put the breakfast tray over Atemu's knees and sat down on the bed next to him. "Careful, the tea is hot."

"You are dressed already," Atemu remarked, a little puzzled.

"I have to go to work, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi stated calmly. It was strange, he wasn't looking forward to a confrontation, but he wasn't dreading it like he used to. The time he had spent alone, separated from Atemu, had shown him that he was stronger than he thought, and his self-confidence had grown. His voice reflected it; he sounded strong and confident.

"At Otogi's?"

"Yes."

Atemu remained silent, sipping his tea. Yuugi followed his example and took the bowl of rice from the tray. As the other said nothing, Yuugi told a little about the game designs he was working on and how Otogi was looking for the best way to manufacture and distribute it.

"I can't wait until my first game is for sale at the stores," Yuugi said. "Do you think jii-chan would like to sell it too?"

"I think he would sell anything with your name on it," Atemu said, but he sounded a little sour. He hadn't touched anything but the plum tea, and Yuugi moved the bowl of miso soup towards him.

"Here you are, mou hitori no boku."

They continued their breakfast in mutual silence, but not an awkward or uncomfortable one. Yuugi kept an eye on the clock as he enjoyed his breakfast, secretly glad that Atemu didn't cause a scene. Having found more confidence didn't mean Yuugi was going to search out the confrontation just for the 'fun' of it.

"Are you working all day?" Atemu suddenly broke the silence.

"Yes," Yuugi said. "Kaa-san will be around, and jii-chan will check up on you regularly. If you need anything, just call for them! Anzu brought you a big pile of your favorite books, and I'll call you during lunch time to check up on you."

He wasn't mistaken, Atemu was really pouting. Yuugi tried to imagine himself in Atemu's shoes. What must it feel like, to be dependant on others all the time, rendered immobile and without anything to do but to read books? He was wondering when Atemu would ask about his own work, and sure, his lover didn't fail him.

"Just help me get dressed, aibou, so I can get to the store," Atemu said, putting his tea aside. "If jii-chan puts a chair behind the counter, I will sit there and operate the register."

"No, mou hitori no boku." Yuugi rolled away from him, getting up from the bed. He frowned at Atemu, a little disappointed. "I know it's hard for you, but you have to _heal._ Do I have to remind you of your complicated fracture? Too much pressure or stress can set you back in the healing process, and that's the last thing you want. If you really want to do some work, I'll ask jii-chan to bring up some papers that you can sort. You're going to be busy with your exercises and resting according to doctor Satsumori's schedule. Don't disappoint me, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said, almost amused at the shocked look on Atemu's face. "When I call you this afternoon, I want to hear that you've kept yourself to your schedule, not that you tried going down the stairs and worked at the store. Do I make myself clear? Now, eat your miso because tea won't give you enough sustenance. I'm going to work and I'll see you when I get back."

Without further ado, Yuugi turned around and stomped out of the room. Thundering down the stairs, he almost crashed into his grandfather.

"Good morning Yuugi," the elderly man deadpanned, "what's the rush this early morning?"

"I have to get to work, jii-chan," Yuugi said. "Otogi-kun is counting on me."

"That's not the rush. It's Atemu-san, isn't it?"

Yuugi heaved a dramatic sigh. "Jii-chan, I don't know what to do…"

"Leave him be, Yuugi," he said. "Atemu is used to walk around and do the things the way like he always did, but now he finds himself bedridden and immobile."

"I just wish he would understand," Yuugi said. Grandfather looked pensive.

"It's not easy for him, Yuugi. He's in pain, and he's told to rest and do nothing, while he wants nothing more to pick up his life before the accident. And I don't think he really likes the changes in the household," he added, carefully gauging Yuugi's reaction.

"He should realize by now that not everything can stay the same," Yuugi said. "I don't like to see him in pain, jii-chan, and I truly wish this had never happened. But I've made up my mind, I've made my decision and I'm not going to change it."

"I'm not saying that you should," grandfather said. "But try to see it from his point of view. It's not easy."

"Well, it's not easy for me either," Yuugi shot back.

"I'm sure everything will work out all right," the elderly man said. "Give each other some room, literally, okay?" He tilted his head and looked like he was going to say more, but he remained silent.

"All right, jii-chan." Yuugi showed a confident smile. "I really have to go now. Don't hesitate to call me when something's up!"

* * *

Unfortunately, the weather didn't help to improve the situation. The summer was extremely hot and humid, and made everyone irritable. When fall came, it came with heavy rain and thunderstorms, and the cold, freezing temperatures prevented Atemu from going outside. His leg was constantly hurting, and he was restless and irritable. The gang of friends cheered him up when they came over, but he relapsed in frustrated sullenness after they were gone. Yuugi grew irritated, constantly questioned by Atemu about his job, and after a particular bad day, Yuugi wondered why he had been looking forward to the day Atemu would get out of the hospital. Guilt was piled onto guilt, and he couldn't believe that he could think such bad thoughts. The man he loved was in pain, had suffered tremendous pain, and his entire world had been reduced to the first floor of the GameShop building.

The most practical things proved to be the most strenuous tasks. Atemu needed help with almost everything, the huge cast on his leg hindering him with every movement. Getting dressed or taking a shower was a huge endeavor, and frustration got added on top of frustration. They snapped at each other, and Yuugi felt angry and irritated. He was about to suggest sleeping separately, and he was glad he could leave the house for work. It made him feel even guiltier, and one day, while having lunch with Anzu, he spouted all of his frustration.

As usual, Anzu listened calmly while eating her salad. It felt great to get it all off of his chest, and when Yuugi finally was done complaining, Anzu reached at him over the table and pulled his ear. Hard.

"Are you two both deaf and blind?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Yuugi rubbed over his abused ear.

"Atemu-san is afraid he's losing control, Yuugi. Can't you see? He's used to be the one in charge, the one leading, the one taking the responsibilities. You can't blame him – he was born and raised to be a Pharaoh, and now he's the weaker one, in need instead of helping out. He literally has to lean on his crutches as his own strength has been shattered."

"Temporary," Yuugi protested. "As long as he's doing well on his exercises, building up his strength again…"

"Temporary," she repeated. "Don't _you_ see, Yuugi? You're complaining about him, but you lack to see what's going on in _his_ mind. You feel misunderstood? Try to feel incapacitated and failing instead."

"I love him no matter what," Yuugi said. "He never fails, and he never failed me."

"And he loves you no matter what. He has always believed in your strength, but he has always seen himself as the strongest one. Now that he's actually weaker, it feels strange and different to him. Less valued, less needed. In his opinion, he's failing you -and himself- for not being able to stand on his own two feet. And of course, because he used to be a Pharaoh, he's not going to sit down with you and talk all about his inner emotions, Yuugi. You of all people should know that by now. That's why everything escalated when you suddenly deviated from the path he had set out. You need to redefine your relationship, otherwise it becomes derailed, Yuugi."

"I can't believe…" Yuugi started, but he halted abruptly. Was this really true?

"He always had and has your best interest in mind, Yuugi. He thought that university was your best choice in life. It was difficult for him when you went against everything he stood for, the good education, the right choice he made in his opinion. Then the accident happened, and suddenly, you are taking everything out of his hands, rendering him obsolete all of the sudden - no Yuugi, let me finish - and no matter what, no matter how long he's leading a commoner's life, his beliefs and upbringing as a Pharaoh is still strong in him. He's not used to be the weaker party, and his body is failing him. And now he's failing you, because he will believe you're so strong that you won't need him any longer. He's afraid, Yuugi."

"I can't imagine him being afraid," Yuugi said. He felt sad. All this time he had thought Atemu had pouted and sulked to annoy and bother him, but now Yuugi could almost see and taste the fear behind his lover's different behavior.

"He'll never admit it, of course." Anzu smiled. "We're talking about Atemu-san here, and his pride matches Kaiba-kun's ego. And that same pride has taken a severe blow to boot, and it makes him doubt himself."

"Perhaps I was too busy with myself to see it," Yuugi muttered.

"I don't think so," Anzu tried to reassure him. "Atemu-san might be in a lot of pain, but it wasn't very easy for you either, Yuugi. You had your own issues to deal with. You felt smothered, over-protected, but re-discovered your independence, whereas Atemu-san, always independent to begin with, suddenly got the roles reversed and now _he _has to ask for help. You're both two very strong people, and the balance of your relationship got uneven. Don't feel bad about it, there's not a relationship in the world that doesn't have its up and downs."

"True, true… but in the beginning, everything went so wonderful…"

"Yes, but unfortunately nothing ever stays the same," Anzu said. "People change, relationships change. But there's one thing that won't ever change between the two of you, and that's how much you love each other. There's no doubt about that, and it's the strongest base for a relationship. As long as you have that love, and I'm sure the both of you will, there's no storm your relationship can't withstand."

Yuugi stood up from the table to spontaneously hug Anzu. "Thank you so much!"

"I should've chosen a career as a marital counselor," she joked. "Now, are you going to finish your _omurice_? And we're going to have _mochi _for dessert, right?"

* * *

It was past business hours and the GameShop was closed. The lights were on at the first floor, and the entirely Mutou family was in the kitchen, enjoying evening dinner. Yuugi sat next to Atemu, opposite of his mother and grandfather, and a lively conversation was going on, except for Atemu not partaking. Yuugi saw how little there was on his plate, and felt bad.

"Mou hitori no boku, please eat some more," he said, trying to encourage him. "You need your strength."

"I did my exercises today," Atemu said.

"I know, but it's a real strain on your body if you don't provide it with enough energy." Yuugi added a little bit of rice to Atemu's plate. "Please finish this, okay?"

"All right."

Grandfather started talking about a movie and Yuugi's mother chimed in about the classic nature of the film. Yuugi commented on the main actors, while keeping an eye on Atemu eating some of the rice, albeit reluctantly. After dinner, Yuugi helped his mother with the kitchen chores until everything was clean. He took two bottles of Mitsuya Cider out of the fridge, the soft drink with a lemon flavor was his favorite and he knew Atemu liked the taste of it as well. Grandfather had helped Atemu back to the guestroom; despite the resting and exercises, the healing process was slow and arduous.

It was an evening like all the others, stringing together like a non-stop cycle on repeat. After dinner, jii-chan would do some light administration chores, Yuugi's mother would meet up with friends or stay at home busying herself, and Yuugi would be with Atemu, in the guestroom, helping his lover and more would be added to the tension. A few gnarls and hisses, and a few kisses to make it better. Yuugi watched as Atemu sat on the edge of the bed, his cast leg stretched in front of him. Doctor Satsumori wasn't satisfied with Atemu's progress at all, another point of discussion that had created more pouts and frustrated sighs. Yuugi walked over and put the two bottles on the nightstand, next to a stack of doorstopper books Atemu was reading.

"I don't want to wait talking anymore, mou hitori no boku."

Atemu looked up, taken aback by Yuugi's prompt announcement.

"What do you mean, aibou?"

Yuugi sat down next to him and took his hands in his. He looked into Atemu's eyes. Crimson red, fierce eyes. The passion of a thousand nights, the determination of a thousand soldiers, the courage of a thousand warriors… Yuugi leaned into him and kissed him gently. He kissed him again, lips lingering.

"Aibou… I thought you wanted to talk..?"

"Yes, I do, mou hitori no boku. I wanted to stress how important it is that you know that I love you."

"I love you too, aibou," Atemu immediately said.

"I know. I never doubt that, and I hope you never doubt my love for you either."

"Never, aibou."

Yuugi took a deep breath. "I want you to listen to me without interrupting me," he said. "I think it's very important that we talk about this, mou hitori no boku, and I don't want it to end in a fight. I hate fighting, and I especially hate fighting after what happened."

"That was not your fault, aibou…"

"What did I say about you not interrupting me?" Yuugi teased him, pecking another kiss on his cheek to keep the mood uplifted. "Just listen to me, will you?"

Atemu nodded, his eyes curious, but not judging. Yuugi took another deep breath.

"Mou hitori no boku, you're not a Pharaoh anymore. You're my friend, you're more than a friend, you're the man I want to grow old with and share my life with. I love you so much and I want to be forever with you, I want you to hold me in your arms forever and ever. Never will you fail me, never will you disappoint me, never will you hurt me. Do you understand?"

He had to take a new breath after the waterfall of words, and he was glad that Atemu didn't take the moment of silence to start talking himself.

"This marks a change in our relationship, a positive change. We have learned something from each other, just when we did at the Ceremonial Duel. Remember the Duel, mou hitori no boku? How I cried, and how you told me not to be ashamed of my tears, but to stand up as a winner? The fact that you are in a different position now, more dependent because of your leg, doesn't make you a failure, or a weak person, mou hitori no boku. You know that. People were so hurt and shocked when they learned about your accident, and they rushed to help you, to help me, to help us. We're both humans. We make mistakes. We live and we learn, and we love."

"May I speak?" Atemu asked when Yuugi had finished. At the other's nod, the former Pharaoh moved his other hand on top of Yuugi's, smiling wistfully. "You told me when we were… fighting before, that you felt like you were always behind me, trying to catch up with me. I have always felt reassured with you behind me, aibou. Not in a way of 'you are weaker than me, stay behind', but in the way of support, I felt like you were always backing me up, a rock standing behind me to lean on."

"Then why didn't you accept _my_ support?" Yuugi asked. "When I wanted to help you get up the stairs, and to the bedroom…"

"I guess I was not ready to face the fact that I am not a Pharaoh anymore." Atemu grimaced, and tried to dissolve it into a grin, but he faltered. "I am sorry if I have been controlling you, aibou. I knew how strong you were, but you slipped away from me, telling _me_ what to do, and you started contesting me and my decisions. I was afraid of losing you, and I tried so hard to reinforce my grip on you again. I am sorry."

"You weren't controlling me. I have a mind of my own, but I didn't speak up. I know you had the best of interests in mind. I should've said something, but I didn't. I didn't want to disappoint you. Now I have learned I can take decisions on my own. It's okay to be… a little less strong all the time, mou hitori no boku. It's all right to cry once, or to ask for help. It doesn't make you any less of a person, it doesn't make you weak."

"I am sorry if I imposed on you, aibou," Atemu said again.

"Mou hitori no boku… please," Yuugi whispered. He lifted up their joined hands and placed a kiss on top of them. "I'm glad you're willing to listen, though. I know you don't like critique that much."

"I only like it when it comes from you, aibou," Atemu said dryly. "Because I know you have _my_ best interests in mind as well. That is why you have been hounding me on my exercises and resting, and I started to believe that yes, someone hovering all over you and taking your decisions out of your hands, can be pretty annoying."

"You were never annoying, believe me. Whatever we did, we didn't do it to hurt each other. And no relationship can be without its trials." Yuugi had to think of Anzu's words. "The last few months have been tough, and we both had to get adjusted to the changes we underwent."

"I know," Atemu said. He brought his lips to their hands this time, and Yuugi all but melted from the gesture. "I have difficulties admitting that… I like to keep control over everything, and that it is hard for me to lose that control."

"It's all right, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. "I'm not without fault either, remember?" He skirted a little closer and nuzzled Atemu's neck. "Let's put the bad times behind us and look forward to the good times. We're going to be a very long time together, you know."

Atemu's chuckle was contagious. "A very very long time indeed, aibou."

"Oh, and so you know…" Yuugi looked up at him. "Jounouchi-kun had a great idea! Why don't you take my ID card and go to the university under my name? Barely nobody checks ID and we can afford to pay the tuition. Otogi is very generous with his personnel."

"That would be amazing, aibou," Atemu's face lit up. "I would love to!"

"See? And we're not fighting at all about it," Yuugi said, smiling radiantly. "You can become a professor yourself, mou hitori no boku." He was rewarded with a fond kiss.

"It really was not easy for you, aibou."

Yuugi leaned into him for a nice kiss, lips on lips. "You can be quite demanding and difficult, mou hitori no boku. But what you give back to me, so much love and protection, is something that I can't live without, ever."

"So… kiss and make up?"

"Kiss, yes, more kisses," Yuugi agreed. He wrapped his arms around the other, and they hugged each other tightly. He wanted to ravish the other silly, but there was still the matter of a half-healed leg in a huge cast. They were going to have to be creative for another few months, but Yuugi figured he could live with that. Besides, hugging and kissing felt good too.

"I love you so much," Atemu whispered in Yuugi's ear. "Other half of my soul."

"Other half of my soul," Yuugi agreed, and hugged him even tighter.

* * *

_End_


	6. Teammates

Title: Hold Me  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Characters: Yami no Yuugi/Atemu & Mutou Yuugi  
Prompt: # 26 Teammates  
Word Count: 8.965  
Rating: G  
Summary: Life isn't all roses and sunshine for Mutou Yuugi, a shy kid in high school who prefers to stay unnoticed, with barely any friends and only his love for games to get him through the day. When a transfer student arrives at school, things start to get interesting, especially when they form a team, slated to win the Capsule Monsters tournament.  
Author's Notes: First one in a 'mini-trilogy' (from the prompts Teammates, Friends, Lovers). Made up surname for Atemu (taken from my old roleplaying account). Made up name for Yuugi's mother. AU. Very much leeway when it comes to playing CapMon, and the 'tournament' shamelessly copied from the manga/anime. Jounouchi and Honda start out as unsympathetic bullies, but they'll come around soon.

Key: - = scene change

* * *

"Yuugi-kun! Time for breakfast!"

There was only one reason why Yuugi would never need an alarm clock: his mother. Mutou Kyoko was as strict and precise as one, when it concered her son. She could be a little scatter-brained about everything else and Yuugi got away with a lot, but not when it came to school.

Groaning, Yuugi rolled over and promptly fell out of his bed. One day, he would learn that his bed was small, almost as small as himself, not the king size one with all the fluffy pillows and stuffed animals and plushies he'd been dreaming of. With a blush on his cheeks, Yuugi traipsed to the bathroom and stifled a yawn. Before he could cross the hallway, his mother was waiting for him, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Hurry up, Yuugi-kun!" Her voice was affectionate and she ruffled his hair in passing. He muttered something about leaving his hair alone, to which his mother replied with a far too cheerful 'Be sure to brush your teeth real good!'.

"Good morning, jii-chan," Yuugi yawned again as he took his seat at the breakfast table. His grandfather looked at him over his newspaper, frowning slightly.

"Have you been staying up late again?" he asked.

"It's because of that puzzle," Yuugi's mother immediately butted in. "You should never have given him that golden box. Now he's not paying enough attention to his homework just because he wants to solve that darn riddle!"

"Is that true, Yuugi?"

"Sorry jii-chan, I just can't help myself." Yuugi turned red. "You told me that no one had been able to solve it before, and I'm making good progress, really!"

"Yuugi, you've been working on that thing for what… eight years already," the elderly man sighed. "I agree with your mother: homework is more important than games and riddles, you know that."

"I know," Yuugi said, ashamed. He hoped his mother wouldn't go through his backpack. As usual, he had brought some games with him, to keep him company during recess at school. He didn't have friends, and working on that mysterious golden puzzle had kept him occupied for many lonely hours. He had found it on a shelf in the storage room of his grandfather's GameShop, covered in dust, and ever since jii-chan had told him he could have it, Yuugi had been trying to solve it.

His mother poured him a glass of orange juice. "No gloomy faces in the early morning," she said, "here, drink up and finish your breakfast. Then get your coat and get ready for school!"

* * *

As always, nobody but the bullies noticed him at Domino High. Yuugi walked slowly, carefully avoiding anyone who could get him into trouble. It hadn't been long since he'd been beaten up by Ushio, and he didn't want that to happen again. Ushio was as huge and broad as a skyscraper, and even Jounouchi Katsuya and Honda Hiroto, bullies from Yuugi's class, were afraid of the extremely tall boy. Yuugi heaved a mental sigh when he safely reached his classroom. He slipped inside and quickly sat behind his desk. Safe!

"Good morning, Yuugi," a warm female voice reached his ears not a few seconds later.

"Good morning, Anzu," he greeted the girl. Mazaki Anzu was the first girl, and the first person, to act friendly to him, not superficial-friendly, but genuinely-interested-friendly. He had been crushing on her right away, absorbing her kindness and friendship as he was used to being bullied. He wasn't used to being treated like a real person, and Anzu had made him feel less insecure. He didn't know if she was returning any of his feelings - his own self deprecation made him think he wouldn't stand a chance anyway - but he was more than content to have her as a friend in his life.

"You must be pretty excited about the upcoming CapMon tournament," she said as she sat on the corner of his desk. With the grace of a ballerina she kept herself perfectly in balance, not tipping the desk over at all. Yuugi nodded, a smile on his face. Capsule Monsters, CapMon for short, was a popular game and tournaments were held at regular intervals. Growing up with games all around him, it had been easy for Yuugi to figure out the right strategy to win most of the local CapMon tournaments.

"I can't wait," he said. "Jii-chan hung the posters up just yesterday, and he expects more people to sign up today!"

"I don't know why they even bother," Anzu winked, "as long as you're competing, they know they won't win!"

"That's not true, Anzu," Yuugi said and willed his blush to disappear. "I can't win all the time."

"No, you can't," a harsher, male voice startled them both. "It's time that a real man wins the tournament, not a nerd-midget like you!"

"Don't be such a bully, Jounouchi Katsuya," Anzu scolded her classmate. "It doesn't make you popular, you know!"

He snorted. "Who's talking about being popular? I'm talking about winners!"

Automatically, Yuugi tried to make himself smaller in his seat, if possible. Jounouchi was a notorious bully, and where he was, his friend Honda Hiroto wasn't far behind. They always seemed to get into trouble, fighting and pestering other kids. Yuugi hated fighting.

"Have you signed up already, Jounouchi-kun?" He asked, voice soft.

"Of course!" Honda answered for his friend, slapping him on the back. "We both signed up. There's a nice amount of money to be won!"

"Money?" Anzu looked confused.

"It's the first CapMon tournament that offers prize money," Yuugi elaborated. "The first prize is sixty thousand yen."

"I can't imagine how many hamburgers I can buy with that," Jounouchi said, rubbing over his stomach.

"Or how many presents I can buy for my Miho-chan," Honda said, leering at the girl who was seated a few rows away from him, chatting with her friends, a conspicuous yellow ribbon tied in her long hair.

"Presents? You're not going to win, _I_'m going to win!" Jounouchi shook his fist at his friend.

"You're both not winning if Yuugi participates," Anzu said firmly and hopped off the desk as the class was about to begin. Honda and Jounouchi snorted in unison, disdain clearly visible in their eyes. Yuugi winced again. They finally moved away to take their own seats, but Anzu idled.

"You know, in this tournament there's an option to play as a team," she said.

"Do you want to play CapMon in a team with me?" Yuugi blurted out.

Anzu smiled, but shook her head. "I'm not good at playing games, you know that," she said, "but maybe there's someone else who can team up with you?" She hurried to her seat as the sensei stepped into the classroom. The students rose to honor their sensei with the customary bow.

"Be seated." The sensei waited until everyone was seated. Yuugi didn't pay much attention. How he wished he could team up with Anzu, playing CapMon together and winning the tournament… too bad she wasn't into gaming! _Maybe there's someone else who can team up with you… _She knew better, didn't she? Yuugi pouted. If only… suddenly, he realized the class hadn't started yet. The sensei was still talking, introducing a new transfer student. Yuugi's eyes widened. A transfer student… again? They recently had welcomed Bakura Ryou in their class, Yuugi had forgotten which prefect he was from, but two transfer students in such a short time was completely unprecedented.

Curiously, Yuugi craned his neck to see who was standing next to his sensei. He wasn't as tall as his classmate in front of him, so he had to really stretch and - Yuugi gasped. The new transfer student… was _him_. If it weren't for the golden tan and the slightly wilder hair, he was an exact copy of Yuugi, and he was sure he wasn't the only one whose jaw went slack. A few classmates turned their head around to gauge Yuugi's reaction, baffled about their physical similarities. Yuugi swallowed and for a moment he caught the new student's eyes. Fierce red, crimson red, with a confidence, no, with an arrogance that was virtually unmatched.

His earrings, small golden ankh-shaped earrings, made him look even more exotic. The student stared back at the class, not shy at all, unlike Bakura who had been very shy and silent at his introduction. He looked… regal, Yuugi thought, and he was insanely jealous of the other's confidence.

"My name is Atemu Sa-neb-Merire," he said, his voice rich and deep, and with a harsh, almost brusque tone to it. "I am from Cairo, Egypt. My father is a diplomat for cultural affairs and we relocated to Japan recently."

The sensei waited for Atemu to tell something more personal about himself, but when he remained silent, the man cleared his throat.

"Excellent, Merire-san… you may sit down ext to Hanaka-san."

Hanaka Tojiro immediately rose so Atemu knew where to sit, but the latter shot a glare at the sensei for not referring to him with his full last name. The class was silent as Atemu took his seat, as if they were all mesmerized by his movements. Yuugi couldn't help but stare; at the same moment, Atemu looked at him. Caught in the act, Yuugi was taken aback when the narrow, crimson red eyes haughtily took him in and he quickly turned his head around.

If the new transfer student wasn't the topic of conversation, it was general moaning and complaining about the amount of homework and all the projects and papers that had to be finished. The cafeteria was crowded, and Yuugi had managed to find himself a seat next to Anzu and some of her friends, chattering excitedly about the exotic new addition to their class. Yuugi took his bento out of his bag. He usually would eat quietly, listening to Anzu or her friends, and then occupy himself with one of his games for the remaining time of recess.

Anzu nudged his elbow. "You could be twins," she whispered. He didn't have to ask who she was talking about.

"Creepy, huh?" Yuugi whispered in return. He turned his head a little to follow her gaze, straight towards Atemu. He sat alone at a table in the back of the cafeteria and no one had dared to approach him, or sit next to him. It was like he was an island on his own, sitting on a throne with servants waiting on him.

"He must be very lonely," Yuugi said. "He didn't mention any siblings, only his father. I'm sure a diplomat is always away on missions." Just like his own father, who was always away on business.

"He seems rather self-absorbed to me," Anzu said, hesitantly. "He's handsome, but very distant."

Yuugi didn't answer. He was still looking at Atemu who was calmly eating his lunch, every gesture composed and elegant, and it took him a long time to finally answer: "Yes, yes, he is." But he wasn't actually sure to what part of Anzu's comment he was exactly referring to.

* * *

"Yuugi…?"

"Yes, jii-chan?" Yuugi turned around on his chair, surprised at seeing his grandfather in the door opening of his bedroom. The elderly man usually didn't climb the stairs all the way to the attic, and when he did, it was often to have a heart-to-heart talk with his grandson. Yuugi saw his serious expression, and a knot tied in his stomach. What did his grandfather have in mind to talk about?

He got up quickly to offer him his chair, and sat down on his bed himself. Yuugi crossed his legs, and curiously looked up at his grandfather. Mutou Sugoroku smiled at him, the love for his grandson obvious.

"Yuugi, I just wanted to ask you something," he said.

"What is it, jii-chan?"

"Is something on your mind? About school, perhaps?" He tilted his head, gauging Yuugi's reaction. "You've been silent lately, almost brooding. Is there something I can help you with..?"

"Jii-chan…" Yuugi lowered his head a little. He hadn't noticed that he had become quiet. He'd been thinking of Atemu a lot lately, the Egyptian transfer student taking up a prominent place in his mind. He didn't know why, as Atemu wasn't friendly to him - or to anyone else in particular - but something was… attracting him to the other. He didn't know what it was. Because of their physical similarities? Or because he thought there had to be more similarities between them, and he wanted to find out? "I don't know, jii-chan."

"Yuugi, you do know you can talk to me about anything, right? Is it about that bully?"

"Yes, yes, I know, and no, it's not about Ushio-san, jii-chan."

"I'm an old man," Mutou Sugoroku said without mockery or sarcasm, "but I want to help my grandson to the best of my abilities. It pains me to see you lonely, Yuugi."

"I'm not feeling lonely," Yuugi immediately protested.

"Maybe it's all my fault." He sighed. "I surrounded you with toys and games, and I was happy to see you play and solve every puzzle I gave you, every riddle I told you… but you ended up alone, without friends… you know how much your mother and I would love it if you brought a friend over from school."

"Anzu is my friend," Yuugi protested once more. He felt a little embarrassed. He had quickly realized who he wanted as a friend, and it confused him even more.

"I know." His grandfather showed a grin. "A very handsome friend…"

"Jii-chan!"

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, but not too quickly. "But you know what I'm talking about, Yuugi. Do you… feel lonely?"

"Honestly, no, jii-chan," Yuugi answered. "I'm fine. I have you, kaa-san, Anzu…"

"Yes, but the truth is… your mother and I won't be around all the time, and one day, we won't be here at all…"

"Jii-chan!"

"That's just the way it is." Sugoroku heaved a sigh. "I wish you had more friends instead of one, friends who can support you for better or for worse, friends that will help you, love you, care for you…"

Yuugi fell silent. He would love to have friends, but well… as long as the bullies kept targeting him and he didn't have the confidence to stand up against them, playing games felt more comfortable than interacting with other people.

"There's a new transfer student in my class," he heard himself say. "I can ask him if he wants to be my teammate in the CapMon tournament?"

His grandfather's face lit up. "I was wondering why you hadn't signed up yet! That's very kind of you, Yuugi. I'm sure the new student will feel more at home when he's invited by a classmate to play a game together."

Yuugi returned the smile, but he didn't have his grandfather's confidence. He didn't know if Atemu even liked playing games.

* * *

"Good morning, Yuugi!"

"Good morning, Anzu!"

Sitting behind his desk, it was the first time that Yuugi didn't have any game or puzzle in front of him. Anzu even looked startled for a moment, not used to see Yuugi without a game. He blushed, but not because of Anzu. When he had gotten up this morning, he had made the firm resolution to talk to Atemu today and ask him to participate in the CapMon tournament. But no matter how firm his resolution, his stomach and knees were weak just at the thought of approaching the Egyptian.

"Everything all right?" Anzu tilted her head slightly, her smile a little wavering. He quickly reassured her that everything was all right and no, he hadn't come across any bullies (which he really hadn't, Yuugi hoped they had lost all interest in him)! His heart made a painful jump when he saw Atemu entering the classroom. As usual, he walked with a firm tred, completely confident, as if he was walking around a royal palace instead of a simple classroom. Yuugi stared at his back, and reddened once more. Anzu was about to say something, but she was cut short by some of her friends who wanted her opinion on the latest cute J-pop star, waving a magazine with his face printed all over the pages around.

During class, Yuugi occupied himself with strategies on how to approach Atemu. The best way to talk to him was during recess, he figured. Atemu sat always alone, and Yuugi could simply ask if he could join him at the table. He wouldn't send him away, would he? Not even Atemu would be that impolite, wouldn't he? He didn't hear a word the sensei was saying, and his hand rested on his pen, not taking any notes while he kept daydreaming. Atemu's golden earrings were complimented perfectly by his tan. A calmness went out of him, an almost comfortable calmness… and Yuugi dreamt on, until he was rudely startled out of his thoughts by the bell.

The students were leaving the classroom, it was recess. Yuugi picked up his book bag, staring at the blank notebook in front of him, realizing that he hadn't written anything down. Groaning, he made a mental note to ask Anzu later; she paid much more attention. For whatever reason, Atemu was still in the classroom, carefully putting books into his bag. The majority of the class had already left - this was a good chance! Yuugi walked up to Atemu, every step weighing heavier on his shoulders. His mouth was dry and a shiver went down his spine. How could this be, Atemu was just another student, he shouldn't feel so strange, he was just going to ask him something…. Yuugi decided to speak up before his courage would totally leave him.

"Atemu-s… Atemu-kun, I would like to ask you something," he managed to say rather fluently, without stammering, even if his voice was much higher pitched than usual. Atemu turned around, searching out the one who had spoken to him; his crimson red eyes widened just a little before narrowing again.

"Yes?" He said.

"Do you like to play games?" Yuugi felt incredibly stupid. He felt so… childish compared to the other, who's height wasn't that much different from Yuugi's. Atemu just looked much taller because he walked up straight, contrary to Yuugi's slouched posture. "You see, there's a CapMon tournament soon and you can play with two people in a team and I thought maybe you liked playing games so we can be a team and play CapMon together," he rattled off, almost forgetting to breathe.

Silence. Atemu stared at him, not responding. Yuugi looked at the floor. He was waiting for the inevitable rejection. At least he would be rejected in the empty classroom, not in a crowded cafetaria where everyone would witness his defeat.

"I like playing games, yes," Atemu finally answered. "What is this CapMon? I have not heard of it before."

It wasn't a "Yes Yuugi, I would love to play CapMon with you", but it was a good start! Excitedly, Yuugi beamed up at Atemu. "CapMon is a chess-like strategy game," he said and noticed he got the other's attention at 'chess' and 'strategy'. New-found confidence surged through him, as he asked, albeit shyly: "Shall we go to the cafetaria? I have a CapMon board in my backpack, and I can show you how to play it."

"Very well," Atemu nodded, "I want to hear more about this game."

* * *

Yuugi felt the prying looks when he walked into the cafeteria, next to Atemu. Strange looks, even jealous looks, as he almost skipped aside the mysterious Egyptian transfer student, who usually held off anyone who approached him. Some students murmured, words that Yuugi couldn't overhear; he assumed it was about their striking physical similarity. He didn't care. All that mattered was that Atemu hadn't flat-out rejected him. This day couldn't get any better.

As usual, Atemu searched out one of the tables in the back and patiently waited for Yuugi to fold out the CapMon board. Yuugi spread it out on the table, and started explaining the rules. As he was talking, he focused on Atemu's face. Now that he was so close, Yuugi could almost touch the ankh-shaped earrings, and curl a golden bang around his finger… his voice almost choked, and he hid his embarrasment with a pretended cough. Atemu didn't seem to notice, and Yuugi quickly continued. He could smell Atemu's scent: spicy, sandy, exotic… just like he had imagined. That thought caused another moment of embarrassment; since when had he been thinking about Atemu's scent so much? But the truth was, that Atemu had appeared often in his dreams, replacing Anzu.

"The difficult part is, you don't know the other player's monsters and strength just until the moment they're revealed," Yuugi continued explaining. "You have to have several strategies and tactics handy, you have to be able to anticipate and adapt quickly. That's what makes the game so exciting! The main goal is to capture your opponent's symbol game piece, and you need a strong defensive strategy… but what kind of strategy depends on the monsters'strength of your opponent."

"I think I understand the rules," Atemu said. "How about giving it a try?"

"Sure, I have some capsules with me." Yuugi started digging in his bag. Atemu looked amused for a brief moment.

"So that is why your bag is so big and heavy. You bring all these games with you."

Yuugi flustered. Atemu had noticed the size of his bag? How come? He occupied himself by taking the different capsules out and allowed Atemu to pick five of them. They changed seats to sit opposite of each other instead of next to each other; Yuugi mourned the loss of Atemu's proximity. But the Egyptian sat at the same table with him, and that made up for everything.

"All right, you start," Yuugi said.

Atemu placed a capsule on the board and took off the top.

"Celtic Guardian, nice start," Yuugi said. He moved his own piece on the board, revealing a Summoned Skull. It was of a higher level than the Celtic Guardian, so Atemu had to remove his piece. Yuugi didn't notice that other students came to stand around their table, watching the game unfold. For a first time, Atemu picked up the game very quickly, even cornering Yuugi, until he revealed his top monster: the Dark Magician.

"You win," Atemu said with a friendly smile. "This is a very fun game, Yuugi."

_He called me by my first name! _Yuugi beamed. "You played amazingly for a first time," he complimented the other. "Want to play again?"

"As long as recess is not over yet, yes," Atemu agreed. The other students were quite excited, a ripple of excitement spread through the crows. Anzu was standing close to Yuugi.

"The two of you could sign up for the tournament," she said. "Then we'd have two teams representing Domino High!"

"Two teams?" Atemu asked.

"Honda Hiroto and Jounouchi Katsuya are the other team," Yuugi said. Anzu shook her head.

"Not any more. Otogi has taken Honda's place!"

This was news to Yuugi, his capsule hovering in mid-air. There was a collective gasp from the crowd.

"Who is this Otogi?" Atemu asked.

"Otogi Ryuuji owns his own gamestore," Anzu explained. "He even designs his own games; have you ever heard of Dungeon Dice Monsters?"

"Not until now," Atemu said. "I am more familiar with Egyptian games, of course."

"Well, I'm sure you're going to hear a lot more about Otogi very soon," Anzu said. Before she could elaborate, the bell went, signing the end of recess. Yuugi wanted to ask Atemu to join him as a team, but decided against it for now - he didn't want to come on too strong. He wanted to avoid giving Atemu the impression that he wanted to impose on him. However, sharing the CapMon game was a wonderful memory, and he was sure he was going to treasure it for a long, long time.

* * *

"You certainly are in a good mood today, Yuugi!" Sugoroku was amused at his grandson, eating his breakfast with gusto and energy that he barely recognized. Usually Yuugi would sit at the table, brooding and a little moody, until it was time for school. Now it looked like Yuugi couldn't wait to get to school, and the elderly man thought it had something to do with the upcoming CapMon tournament. Domino High was the official host of the tournament and was getting a lot of media coverage as this was the first tournament with prize money.

"Remember, you only have four more days left to sign up," he reminded Yuugi. His grandson nodded, his mouth full with scrambled egg.

"I know, jii-chan! I'm going to ask today!"

"Ah, the transfer student, right? Does he know the game?"

"It's amazing, jii-chan! I only had to explain it to him once and he already understood! We played a game and he almost beat me!"

"That's really impressive," Sugoroku said. "You know, you should invite him over so we can meet him too."

Yuugi choked on his food and coughed loudly. Grandfather tilted his head, noticing Yuugi's bright cheeks.

"I'll ask, jii-chan," Yuugi said, grabbing his bag and leaving the kitchen as fast as possible. He was almost late for the subway.

* * *

As usual, he was the first to arrive at the classroom. Strange how school could be so different from one day to another. It was a lot more exciting since he got to know Atemu, even though the Egyptian barely spoke to him outside of class. The last few days they had spend recess together, playing CapMon. Today, Yuugi felt he had mustered up enough courage to ask Atemu to join him in the tournament. Nothing could go wrong today! His positive thoughts were distorted when a large shadow fell over him.

"So shortypants, what kind of geek games did you bring today?"

"Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi took a deep breath when he saw the class bully. Why was _he _so early at school? Jounouchi always arrived at the last moment. "Good morning," he finished lamely.

"You didn't answer my question," Jounouchi said and tugged at Yuugi's bookbag.

"Please don't!" he exclaimed. Today he had brought the golden puzzle box to show it to Atemu, in the hope that he could read the encarved hieroglyphs. Jounouchi took the bookbag from him and dumped its content all over the floor. The golden box fell, and the lid came off, revealing the golden pieces inside.

"You're walking around with a treasure?" Jounouchi was dumbfounded, but a grin appeared quickly on his face. He grabbed one of the pieces and held it up high, so Yuugi couldn't reach it.

"Give it back, Jounouchi-kun! Please!"

His grin turned menacing. "You can get it back," he said, voice low. "After the CapMon tournament. You'll get it back if you don't sign up for the tournament."

"What.. what?" Yuugi was baffled. Jounouchi shook his other fist into Yuugi's face.

"You win everything when it comes to games," the taller boy said. "Without you in the tournament, Otogi and I will win!"

"That's not fair, Jounouchi-kun!"

"I don't care if it's fair," Jounouchi said. "It's my only chance of winning a large sum of money, even when split with Otogi. Do you hear? Stay out of the tournament, and you'll get your precious golden piece back."

"Give it back to him, right _now_."

Both Jounouchi and Yuugi looked up, flinching from the stern, authoritive voice - but it wasn't a sensei who had spoken. Atemu stood behind Jounouchi, arms crossed, crimson red eyes fixed on the bully.

"You're his teammate," Jounouchi said disparagingly. "You look like a nice couple, the freak twins! Stay out of this, you half-breed mummy."

"I advise you to tone it down, and to mind your manners when you speak to others," Atemu said. Despite his lack of height, he seemed to tower above the both of them. "You should better be grateful that I do not report you to the gaming commission of the tournament for intimidation and attempted blackmail, so that you will be banned from the event!"

"You wouldn't," Jounouchi hissed.

"I would." Atemu's voice was powerful and deep. Jounouchi took a step back. "Give it back to him, right now, and you can go."

A moment of silence, a moment of hesitation. Jounouchi was rooted to the spot, and it took him all of his willpower to wrestle himself free from Atemu's gaze. He turned around and pressed the piece in Yuugi's hand, before leaving the classroom, muttering "Egyptian freak" under his breath. Atemu watched his retreating back as Yuugi quickly gathered his stuff, shoving everything into his bag.

"Thank you, Atemu-kun," he said as he straightened himself.

"He was right about one thing, you know," Atemu said, just as stern. "Are you really carrying a treasure with you? It would not do any good to bring gold to school, Yuugi."

"I know, I know," Yuugi said and felt embarrassed. He wanted to tell Atemu that he had brought the golden box especially to show it to him, but his hope was gone when the other said:

"Do not ever bring it to school again. It is much too valuable."

Without another word, Atemu went to his seat and Yuugi retreated to his own desk, feeling miserable. The day had started out so well, and within a few minutes, all was lost. He was so depressed that Anzu had to tap on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Good morning, Anzu," he said automatically, devoid of any cheer.

"Good morning Yuugi, what's the matter?" She asked, looking at him quizically. It was of no use to hide something from Anzu. She would find out anyway and besides, it was hard to cover up that he was visibly upset.

"Jounouchi-kun threatened me to keep me out of the tournament," Yuugi said, keeping his voice low as not to allow the other students to overhear. It was almost time for class to start, and his classmates were coming in one by one. "He's such a mean bully! He only wants to win the tournament for the prize money, he doesn't care for the game!"

"I'm not so sure," Anzu said. She looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, Jounouchi had re-entered the class with Honda, and they were talking to each other, faces close as if conspiring together.

"Not so sure about what?"

"Jounouchi is a bully, but he's not as bad as Ushio-san," Anzu said, shivering. Everyone shivered at the mention of Ushio's name, he was so infamous that most senseis were afraid of him. "I've heard that his father is an alcoholic, and since long divorced… Jounouchi only has a sister left, and she's in the hospital for something serious, requiring expensive surgery. I'm not so sure he wants the prize money for himself, Yuugi."

"For his sister," Yuugi said, astounded. He looked past Anzu to Jounouchi, who had just cracked a rude joke and was laughing out loud. It was hard to believe that he had a softer side, caring for his sister…but the memory of him threatening Yuugi, taking a piece of his golden puzzle… it made him angry all over again.

The sensei swept into the class room and everyone rose to greet him. When the class was seated again, it was time to take out the proper books and concentrate. Yuugi, as usual, had a hard time focusing. He wasn't only thinking about Jounouchi and his sister, but also about Atemu and how he had come to his rescue. Sure enough, if he could already muster up the courage again to ask him, Atemu would definitely reject him, thinking about how weak and a coward he was. Yuugi felt like crying in frustration; instead, he stared at the book in front of him and wished the day was over.

When it was time for recess, Yuugi tardied on purpose, not wanting to run into Jounouchi. He looked up after a while, seeing Atemu standing at the door, waiting for him. Yuugi's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Are we not going to practice the game?" Atemu asked.

"Yes, yes, of course," Yuugi said quickly, his spirit instantly lifted now that Atemu had _waited for him_. What a strange day, but now he felt like walking on clouds! The majority of the students had already left for recess, and the hallway was virtually empty. _Now or never, _Yuugi thought to himself, and he steeled himself for the upcoming rejection.

"Atemu-kun, would you like to be in a team with me?" Well, asking the question was fairly easy. Waiting for the imminent rejection was the hard part.

"For the tournament?" Atemu continued to walk in his firm stride, so Yuugi had to hurry to catch up with him. Well, it wasn't an immediate rejection, and he wasn't laughing at him… Yuugi felt a little hope returning to him. "I would like to be in your team, yes."

"Really? Really?" Yuugi wanted to squeal and cheer like a girl, and only because he almost stumbled over his own feet kept him from doing so. His eyes went even wider than usual, and he was gawking at Atemu - he had really said yes! The Egyptian looked at him calmly, his confident smirk as usual firm in place.

"I like the game, it is interesting, and you are a good player. I am sure that we can win the tournament."

Yuugi had hoped for Atemu to say something personal, like "I love playing games _with you_" or "_you are such an interesting player_" but he was content to hear that Atemu thought of him as a good player. The relief of not being rejected loosened the tense knot between his shoulders, and he relaxed in his stance.

"What do you know about our competitors?" Atemu asked.

"Otogi Ryuuji and Jounouchi Katsuya are very good opponents," Yuugi said. He knew why Jounouchi had ditched Honda in favor of Otogi. Strangely enough, it didn't seem to affect their friendship, as far as you could call those two bullies 'friends'. "Otogi-kun is a master strategist and Jounouchi-kun has absurd luck in games."

"I see," Atemu said, pensively. "And the other competitors?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know much about them," Yuugi said. "But if we practice more and develop our strategies together, I'm sure we can beat them!"

"Then let us not dally in the hallway," Atemu agreed.

* * *

The day of the tournament had arrived. Yuugi got up extremely early, actually nervous. It was his first time teaming up with someone else… with no one else but Atemu. It had been a complete shock to Yuugi that the Egyptian had accepted to be with him in a team. Not only to Yuugi, but also to the entire class, who could barely believe that the aloof, distant transfer student was teaming up with the greatest geek of Domino High. But now it was really happening, today was the day of the tournament, and Yuugi stacked his bag nervously with his Capsule Monsters. It was going to be a long day and he put water bottles in his bag, along with a few snacks and a bento.

His mother waited in the hallway and gave him an extended hug before he could get into the kitchen.

"Kaa-san..!"

"I'm just so excited for you, Yuugi-kun," she said. "We're coming to watch you this afternoon. We're counting on you to reach the finals!"

"Good luck, Yuugi," grandfather said. "And of course we're cheering you on, and I'd love to finally see that Atemu fellow you've been talking about so much."

"I have not!" Yuugi protested, failing to see the knowing smile on his grandfather's face. "I have to eat some breakfast now, jii-chan!"

"But of course, we don't want our upcoming champion to keel over from starvation!"

"Jii-chan, stop pestering me!"

* * *

So many students, Yuugi thought as he arrived at school. As the host of the tournament, Domino High had opened its doors for both watchers and contestants, and the prize money had lured a lot of participants. Yuugi felt overwhelmed by all his confident peers, marching into the large auditorium of the school. Tables and chairs had been arranged for the tournament and designated judges were walking around to check if all the boardgames and monsters weren't altered in any way. A huge paper was hung up at the back wall of the auditorium, listing the names of the contestants and the schedule of the tournament. Yuugi was about to walk towards it, when Atemu tapped him on the shoulder.

"Atemu-kun, good morning," Yuugi said, relieved.

"Good morning," Atemu returned the greeting, "I took the liberty of having both our names checked and verified by a judge, and here is your badge."

"Thank you." Yuugi pinned the badge with his name on the lapel of his school uniform. He still felt excited, his nerves taken over by adrenaline. "It's about to start soon!"

"We are in Block D, fourth round," Atemu said. He took a look at his watch. "We have some time to watch how the others are doing."

"Is your family here?"

"My father could not make it," Atemu said, almost bored. Yuugi wanted to comfort him, he knew the feeling of not having his father around. It saddened him that Atemu sounded as if he was used to it, he was the son of a well-traveling diplomat after all… however, no one should be used to being lonely. Yuugi called his brightest smile forward.

"My father couldn't make it either, but my mother and grandfather will be here this afternoon! They're going to cheer for you too!"

Atemu threw him a quizzical look, but Yuugi choose to ignore it. "Let's watch the others, Atemu-kun!"

He followed Yuugi through the crowd to watch the first starters in Block A of the match. It was a team from Fujinori High, a school competing with Domino High in just about everything, especially in sports.

"He just opened with a level 5 monster," Yuugi muttered as he watched.

"He is confident, yes," Atemu commented. "But confidence is not a guarantee to win, especially not when you play as sloppy as he does."

"I see," Yuugi squinted his eyes a little, "strong monsters, but not a strong strategy. However, he can get far, as long as he's backed up by his teammate."

"That is why a good balance in the team is so important." Atemu nodded at Yuugi. He blushed and quickly turned his head back to the game at hand, which was won by Fujinori. They left the table to go search for their own, as the contestants of Block D were about to start.

Time flew by and before Yuugi knew it, an afternoon break was announced. He stretched, throwing his hands up in the air, as he'd been sitting all morning. Block D had been uneventful so far; he and Atemu had won all their matches and were rapidly ascending on the ranking list. He hadn't seen his family yet, but he was sure they'd pop up soon; after all, they had promised.

Atemu stood up from the table, picking up his bag. "I could use a bite of food," he said. "Did you bring lunch with you?"

"Plenty," Yuugi said. He had already finished his water bottles, Atemu had been drinking iced tea and flavored mineral water. The tournament demanded a lot from their concentration, and he was glad to have a break; now they could spend some quiet time to eat. As they moved through the crowd, he spotted Anzu, accompanied by Miho. She complimented him on his wins so far, and told him about Jounouchi and Otogi.

"They won all their matches too," she said. "They have been clearing out Block B all by themselves. I think it's going to be inevitable that you meet up sooner or later!"

"I think so too," Yuugi said. He was feeling a little bad about it. He didn't want to confront Jounouchi and Otogi, but what if they both won all their matches, ending up in the finals? Yuugi decided not to get worked up over it. There were still a lot of matches, and he wanted to eat something first. Anzu, Miho, and Atemu accompanied him outside for some fresh air, and they ate lunch, talking about the results of the tournament so far until they were interrupted by the arrival of Yuugi's mother and grandfather.

"There you are, Yuugi-kun," his mother said, beaming at the other students. "I saw on the score board that you and Atemu-kun won Block D!"

"Yes, now we're going to face the winners of the other Blocks," Yuugi added. His grandfather already knew his dilemma, he had heard Yuugi talk about Jounouchi before.

"Do you think you'll end up competing against them?" the elderly man asked.

"I'm very sure," Yuugi said, finishing the last of his bento. "They're strong opponents. I'm not surprised at all that they won their Block."

"So you're Atemu-kun," Yuugi's mother said, looking at the Egyptian. "My, Yuugi-kun didn't exaggerate when he told about you! You look so much alike!"

"Kaa-san," Yuugi whined, sounding embarrassed. The two girls giggled. Yuugi's grandfather took her by the arm.

"Come, we'll go inside to get good seats. Good luck, Yuugi!"

Yuugi stared into his bento box, hoping that Atemu wouldn't be too mad at him for his mother's behavior. The other didn't mention it, and was apparently listening to the girls' chatter. Yuugi heaved a soft sigh and took a moment to himself to gather his wits again, focusing back on the competition.

"It is time to go," Atemu announced after a while.

"Good luck, Yuugi!" Anzu said. "You too, Atemu-kun!"

* * *

Inside the large auditorium, the field of contestants had been seriously diminished. The cream was seperated from the crop, and the tables were shoved closer to make more room for the audience. Yuugi didn't feel nervous at all with Atemu at his side; their teamwork was flawless, and they continued to win, moving on from the quarterfinals to the semifinals. Yuugi was so concentrated on the game that he didn't keep up with the other winners, until it was too late - and what he had feared, came true in front of his eyes.

"Otogi-kun, Jounouchi-kun," he said lamely when he saw them take place opposite of them. Otogi leisurely stretched his long legs under the table. Yuugi didn't know him very well, but Otogi had never been unkind or mean to him.

"Yuugi-kun, Atemu-san," he nodded, while Jounouchi kept his lips stiffly pressed together, not bothering to utter any greeting. The board was empty and the Capsule Monsters were closed in front of them. An announcer was going on about how exciting it was, to see two teams from Domino High facing off against each other. Yuugi had hoped to play against a Fujinori team, instead of his own classmates.

"We're just one step away from winning the prize money, Otogi," Jounouchi said, not paying any attention to the others.

"For your sister, right?" Yuugi said. Atemu arched an eyebrow, and Jounouchi looked like he wanted to strangle Yuugi.

"My sister has nothing to do with this," he rudely said. He glared at Yuugi as he stalled his Capsules next to the board, ready to play. The referee was still announcing the match, and Yuugi quickly looked around if he could see his mother or his grandfather. A big smile appeared on his face when he saw the both of them, not far away; his mother waved and his grandfather grinned.

"All right, begin!" The referee had finally finished his announcement and the entire auditorium went silent. Jounouchi and Otogi had won the toss; they were the first to start. Yuugi didn't show any surprise when Jounouchi opened with the Flamed Swordsman; it was all but to be expected. Jounouchi had strong monsters, but when it came to strategy, he mostly depended on Otogi who played with ninja-type monsters, and all of them had a lot of special effects. His game piece was Orguss, a god-like monster; Yuugi had to avoid that one at all costs. He had his Summoned Skull, and Atemu his Dark Magician. Now was the moment where all their strategies were going to pay off. Could he really win this, with Atemu having so little training? True, the Egyptian had picked up the game quickly, but still..!

The crowd was whispering. Flamed Swordsman was a high level monster, and Jounouchi had put him on the board with just one move. His incredible luck was infamous, too bad it didn't translate to his grades. Otogi opened with one of his ninja-monsters, and Yuugi studied the board before revealing his Celtic Guardian. Stronger than Otogi's ninja-monster, but he didn't declare attack just yet; Atemu still had to put his monster on the board, and if the effect of the ninja-monster was affecting them all… Atemu revealed Curse of Dragon, as strong as the Flamed Swordsman. The crowd gasped again; another high-level monster.

The game went quickly in Yuugi's and Atemu's favor. Curse of Dragon removed the Flamed Swordsman, as well as the Red Eyes Black Dragon. Yuugi's Celtic Guardian made short work of several of Otogi's ninja-monsters, and the crowd started to complain a little. What a boring game! The balance was completely amiss! Yuugi closed himself off for the dissatisfied noises. He was concentrating on the game. It wasn't like Otogi and Jounouchi to discard their monsters like this. They still had Capsules left, there had to be stronger monsters they were planning to put on the board. What was their strategy to sacrifice their monsters, just like that? Yuugi gasped as it dawned to him.

"God Orguss is on the field!" Otogi revealed his game piece monster. Celtic Guardian and even Curse of Dragon were no match for him, and now the tables had turned. There was one more capsule on Atemu's side of the board. 'Ooooh's and 'Aaah's went through the crowd.

"That must be your Dark Magician," Jounouchi sneered, pointing at Atemu's capsule. "And Yuugi, you have a monster in one of your capsules to boost his power. Still, he's nowhere near Orguss' strength. You're both done for!"

"The game is not over yet," Atemu said calmly. He revealed the Dark Magician, but couldn't declare an attack; Orguss was far too strong. Instead, he activated Dark Magician's special effect, allowing him to place a spell on Orguss that reduced the god's attack points. If Yuugi was able to play a strong monster in the next round, then they could attack together! Orguss was Otogi's game piece; when defeated, he was out of the game.

Otogi frowned, not liking that his strongest monster had been weakend. The spell was everlasting, so he had to think of something to remove it or boost his god's attack points any other way.

"I got it covered," Jounouchi said. He revealed his trump monster, the Time Wizard. Yuugi refrained from groaning. He had hoped it wouldn't be used in this game! Time Wizard's effect was to age a monster on the field, and aging would add more experience points, thus attack points, to the monster. But the same aging would damage the opponent's monster… Yuugi didn't know its effect on the Dark Magician. Atemu looked like his face was carved out of stone; no worry or emotion whatsoever. Yuugi had no monsters on the field; if the Dark Magician would be destroyed, they were both out of the game! "The effect of Time Wizard goes to Orgus, of course," Jounouchi grinned. "As he ages, Orguss grows in strength, and his power is more than enough to get rid of your measly spell."

"Excellent work, Jounouchi," Otogi mimicked his grin and stared at Atemu. "Orguss overpowers the Dark Magician. You're out of the game, Atemu-san, and your teammate doesn't have any monsters on the field, so you're…"

"I would not cry victory, if I were you." Atemu tapped on his Dark Magician. "Due to Time Wizard's effect, he has evolved into Dark Sage."

"Dark Sage?" Otogi gasped along with the crowd. "But-but.. Time Magician..!"

"His effect did not weaken my magician, but strengthened him." Atemu's smirk was the pinnacle of self-confidence. "And as a sage, his power has evolved along with him. Thank you, Jounouchi, that was a very clever move of you."

"Whaaaa..?" Jounouchi's eyes were bulging. The Dark Sage's attack points surpassed Orguss', and the God had to be removed from the field. Otogi was out, and it was Yuugi's turn - he revealed his Summoned Skull, who had no trouble taking out the Time Wizard, who relied mostly on its effect, not its attack or defense points. Without any more monsters on his side on the field, Jounouchi was out of the game as well. Atemu and Yuugi had won the game, and the crowd applauded the winners. Jounouchi got up and looked like he was going to spit in both their faces.

"It was a very good game," Otogi said, extending his hand. Yuugi was quick to take it.

"Thank you, Otogi-kun."

Atemu looked doubtful at Jounouchi; did they really have to shake hands? But Jounouchi took the decision for him, and he sounded genuinely honest when he said: "Great game, Atemu-san. In such a short time, you have mastered Capsule Monsters really well."

"Thank you," Atemu said in return, "you are a great opponent, Jounouchi."

The crowd continued clapping and Jounouchi waved and grinned as if he was the winner, instead of the others. Yuugi saw his mother hugging his grandfather, both excited at his win. He had to smile; people were shouting his name, whistling and clapping! Atemu turned towards him, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"It was indeed a very good game," he said.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Atemu-kun," Yuugi said. "I never knew the effect of the Time Wizard on Dark Magician."

"You were the one who taught me, Yuugi. You are the winner."

Yuugi blushed, feeling flattered and strangely embarrassed. He didn't know what to say, but his voice would've been drowned out by the ecstatic crowd anyway. He blinked as flashes of light blinded him; were people really taking pictures? It was just a game tournament, not some kind of heroic event! But it was really him, posing with Atemu for local newspapers, and before he knew it, he had an envelope in his hands, with a certain amount of money.

There was something Yuugi wanted to do with the money, even though he hadn't discussed it with Atemu beforehand. Theoretically, Atemu had a right to half of the prize money, but Yuugi had the distinct feeling that the Egyptian would agree with his actions. When the four finalists had been interviewed for the newspaper and the rush of the tournament was over, Yuugi crossed the room to stand in front of Jounouchi. He held the envelope out to him.

"What are you doing?" Jounouchi asked.

"I want you to have this," Yuugi said. "For your sister."

"What? You can't be serious!"

"I can," Yuugi said. He held the envelope a little higher. "Please take it. I know she needs surgery."

"Who told you?" Jounouchi immediately bellowed. "Honda, right? Big mouth Honda!?"

Yuugi shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Please take it, Jounouchi-kun."

"It's a lot of money," Jounouchi protested. "I can't take it from you."

"It's a lot of money indeed, but you need it harder than I do," Yuugi insisted. "My grandfather owns a GameShop, and you walk paper rounds to pay for school. Your sister needs this, you need this, Jounouchi-kun."

There was silence in the room. Otogi had a baffled look on his face, while Atemu, calm and patient, simply continued to pack his belongings. Jounouchi finally reached for the envelope.

"Fine, but I'll pay you back to the last cent," he muttered. "Only because she needs it now…"

"It's fine, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi said. He turned around and grabbed his own bag. He knew Jounouchi wouldn't appreciate it if he continued to look at him, now that he had seen something shimmer in the corner of Jounouchi's eyes.

"I did not know your grandfather owned a Game Shop," Atemu said, as if giving the prize money away was the most normal thing in the world.

Yuugi smiled. "He does! Will you stop by sometime soon? We have lots of games, I'm sure you'll like it!"

"I will," Atemu said. "But now I am going home. It was a very busy and exciting day."

"Have a good night, Atemu-kun," Yuugi said.

"You too."

Yuugi watched him leave, the smile on his face increasing. He felt very happy.

* * *

_End _


	7. Friends

Title: Love Me  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Characters: Yami no Yuugi/Atemu & Mutou Yuugi  
Prompt: # 21 Friends  
Word Count: 7.447  
Rating: G  
Summary: School continues, life and the daily grind continue and Yuugi, opening up to the people around him, finds himself busy with schoolwork and obligations, and his former teammate….  
Author's Notes: second in a mini-trilogy (from the prompts Teammates, Friends, Lovers). Made up surname for Atemu. Made up first name for Yuugi's mother.

Key: - = scene change

* * *

"Yuugi! Time for school!"

"I'm already awake, kaa-san!" Yuugi stood in front of his desk, lifting up the golden puzzle to move its chain around his head. He had finished it shortly after winning the CapMon tournament with Atemu, much to his grandfather's surprise. After all, he'd been working steadily on it for the last eight years; just briefly after meeting the Egyptian transfer student, Yuugi had slid the last piece into place, silently making a wish when the puzzle was finally solved.

As he left his bedroom, he bumped into his mother. She smiled at him, but refrained from ruffling his hair. She also didn't call him 'Yuugi-kun' anymore. Mutou Kyoko had noticed that her son had gone through such a change the last few months, he had grown and matured and it wouldn't feel right to treat him like a small child. Yuugi wasn't lonely anymore, he had friends now, and he felt happy and content. She had never seen her son this happy before, and she was glad his life had taken such a positive turn.

"I'm going to get some breakfast, kaa-san," Yuugi said. She nodded. He had to hurry up, because Anzu would soon stop by to pick him up. By default, Jounouchi and Honda would walk with her, and the four of them would walk all the way to school. Who could've imagined that two school bullies could turn out to be such loyal friends? Who could've imagined that just over a year ago, Yuugi brought games to his class to spend his time in solitude, with only Anzu to talk to? Now he walked with his friends to school and spend more time with them than he did at home; which was fine with his mother, as long as his grades didn't suffer.

"Good morning, jii-chan!"

"Ah, good morning, Yuugi," the elderly man said, putting his newspaper down. "You're quite used to your new class, right?"

"Yes," Yuugi said, smiling brightly. He was glad he had passed; now he had only a few more years to go before graduation. People would still take him for a freshman though; he wasn't that tall, certainly not compared to Jounouchi and Honda. Atemu wasn't much taller than him, but the Egyptian carried himself with such weight around that he managed to look much more mature and wise than the entire group combined.

"I'm glad you have such a good time at school," Mutou Sugoroku nodded. "Any chance of Atemu-kun visiting the GameShop again soon?" He chuckled at the blush appearing on his grandson's face. Atemu had kept true to his word, and had visited Yuugi over the summer holiday. Sugoroku had showed him the store and the new craze sweeping the nation: Duel Monsters. He had explained the basics of the card game to Atemu, just as he had to Yuugi and before he knew it, the two boys were in a heated competition. He was amazed at how quickly Atemu picked up on the game, but recalling how he mastered CapMon in just a few weeks and winning the tournament with Yuugi, it shouldn't have come as a surprise, really. Yuugi had been walking on clouds for weeks, especially after Atemu stayed long enough to have dinner with the Mutou family.

"I don't know, jii-chan, but I hope so. The entire school is into Duel Monsters, and I'll convince him to buy his cards at our store!"

"Good," Sugoroku teased him just a little more, before picking up his newspaper again. Yuugi wolfed down his breakfast, grabbed his book bag and ran out of the kitchen while still munching on the last of his pancakes.

Yuugi waved as he ran outside. Anzu and Jounouchi waited for him, and by default his friend Honda. Yuugi called him his friend as well; Honda and Jounouchi weren't bad at all once you got to know them. And now that the both of them had dropped their bullying entirely, they were fun and nice people to be around with, albeit a little rambunctious. Yuugi was a little sad that Atemu couldn't be here, but he lived on the other side of town, in a 'fancy schmancy neighborhood', as Jounouchi liked to call it.

After greeting each other, they made their way over to school, talking about events and people. Jounouchi wanted to learn everything about Duel Monsters and Honda was playfully picking on him that he was never going to be smart enough to learn the rules to the game, laughing at Jounouchi's mock-angry reaction. It was so much more fun to walk with others to school, Yuugi thought, instead of being all alone. Yes, this last year had been one of the best years of his life, and mostly because he got to know Atemu.

He was wondering how the Egyptian really felt. They had spend a lot of time together, Atemu helping Yuugi with his homework (math, history and geography) and Yuugi had helped Atemu with his vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Even though he thought Atemu's heavy accent was cute, he sometimes was hard to understand when he stressed the wrong syllable. And his accent wasn't the only cute thing Yuugi had been thinking about. Would he really describe someone like Atemu as 'cute'? Well, yes..!

"Yuugi, why are you so quiet? Are you thinking of the upcoming test?"

"Test? What test?" Jounouchi blurted out. Anzu smacked him against the shoulder.

"The one Kazumi-sensei has been talking about for weeks?"

"_That _one? I thought he was talking about NEXT week!"

"Jounouchi! When will you ever learn to pay attention?"

Yuugi couldn't help but snicker at his friends' bickering, but no, he wasn't really worrying about the test. After all, he had been studying with Atemu and he was convinced he could handle the test. It bothered Yuugi slightly that Atemu never invited him at his home, though. They spend lots of time in the library, but Yuugi was quite curious to see how Atemu lived. He didn't ask or push, he wanted Atemu to invite him spontaneously, not enforce himself upon him. It was just curiosity, Yuugi told himself, but spending time with Atemu always made him gleeful and happy, wherever he was…

* * *

In class, they quickly took their places. They had arranged it so that they were all sitting next to each other: Atemu next to Yuugi, Anzu next to Atemu, and Jounouchi and Honda next to Anzu. There was still some time left before the sensei would arrive; the students were greeting each other, talking loudly as they took their seats. Atemu arrived on time as usual, greeting the others before sitting down and taking out the books from his bag.

"Good morning, Atemu-kun," Yuugi beamed at him. His day didn't start off right if he didn't hear Atemu's deep "Good morning, Yuugi" in return and he wasn't disappointed today. He watched how the Egyptian took his seat next to him, and how every movement was full of grace and regality. With a content sigh, Yuugi waited for the sensei to arrive.

Domino High had its own library, but Atemu preferred the local library, housed in a four-story building not very far from the school. It had its own multimedia department, a cafeteria and of course, a huge collection of books, in all kinds of fiction and non-fiction genres. Yuugi had never been so often in the library as with Atemu, but he could see the advantage of studying here. It was an environment that didn't distract him like at home, and they had all the information they needed at their fingertips when they had to work on a project.

Today, Atemu would help him with math, a subject that came very easy to the Egyptian, but was always a struggle for Yuugi. He didn't mind too much, though - Atemu would sit next to him to point things out while explaining, and Yuugi didn't mind at all the other being so close that he could smell him, could touch him… even though Yuugi never did. He wished he was as brave as to touch Atemu, or ask him about… well, how he felt. Atemu never spoke of personal things; the one time he dropped a female name (and scared Yuugi), was when he mentioned the housekeeper. His father, Akumanukanon Sa-neb-Merire, had rented the penthouse apartment in one of the most upscale suburbs in Domino City, including serving staff. Yuugi figured that a man with his status as a diplomat wouldn't settle for anything less.

He didn't know if Atemu had a mother or any other siblings, as he never spoke about it. Yuugi was dying to find out more about him. He wasn't realizing yet how much he was crushing on the other, what did he know about crushes or love? He had liked Anzu before, and he still liked her as a friend, but not in a romantic way. She had moved into the background when it came to romance, and Atemu had taken her place as the one person Yuugi was dreaming about. As a friend, Yuugi valued Anzu greatly, but he wasn't looking at her anymore as someone to be with, someone more than just a friend. With a sigh, Yuugi eyed the stack of books in front of him. Atemu liked consulting multiple sources to verify what he was studying, and when it came to math, he was making no exception. Yuugi was getting dizzy from just reading the titles…

"Ah, here we are," Atemu said, leafing through a particularly heavy book, "to solve this equation, we have to take out the current denominator…"

"Math is too hard," Yuugi blurted out.

"It is not my favorite subject either," Atemu confessed. "I used to like it, because my father is very good at it. I could always ask him for help, so I pretended not to understand it. It was one of the few times my father would actually sit down and help me."

Yuugi wished to know more about Atemu, but when the other did divulge something about his private life, Yuugi always felt sad. There was so much loneliness speaking from Atemu's words, even though the Egyptian probably wasn't feeling about it the same way. He didn't make a lonely impression, but still..! It reminded Yuugi of how he felt a little over a year ago, before he had any friends.

"Your father is extremely busy, isn't he?" Yuugi asked.

Atemu nodded. "Lately he has been a lot at the National Museum. There is going to be an exhibition of Ancient Egyptian artifacts soon." He looked at Yuugi and his eyes went to the golden puzzle dangling from his neck. "Would you like to go to the exhibit? I have unlimited access and I can always take someone with me, free of charge."

"Go to an exhibit with you? Of course!" Yuugi knew his cheeks were turning red, but he hoped Atemu would chalk it up to the excitement of the exhibit and nothing else. Atemu smiled in return.

"I thought you were interested," he said warmly. "Ever since you started wearing that puzzle, I knew you would have interest for the fine culture of my home country."

Yuugi blushed some more. It felt so natural to wear the puzzle, even though it was quite heavy. He had gotten some attention because it was made of gold, but strangely enough, nobody tried to take it away from him. It was a little bit silly to think the object protected him, but Yuugi had never felt safer in his life. He couldn't deny the Egyptian roots of the object: it bore a huge golden Eye of Horus on its front. The wish he had made was to have friends and it had come true, especially after the CapMon tournament. Yuugi hadn't bothered to research the puzzle or Ancient Egyptian culture… but the fact that Atemu invited him over for the exhibit, made him feel all warm and happy inside.

"Let us finish our homework," Atemu said. Always duty first, but his diligence and discipline was slightly rubbing off on Yuugi. His grades were better than ever, which made his grandfather and mother happy and proud. He nodded, taking the book from Atemu and staring at the difficult text.

"Why don't you explain it to me, Atemu-kun…"

* * *

Childish perhaps, but Yuugi counted the days until it was Saturday. He was excited about Atemu's invitation to spend an entire day with him at the National Museum. Ancient Egypt was fascinating, but Yuugi couldn't care less if the exhibit had been detailing bugs or clay artifacts or whatever boring subject: he was gong to spend the day with Atemu! Hurriedly, he climbed the stairs and went through the huge entrance. Blinking, he found himself in the hallway; he'd never known it was so large. Next to the reception area was a tall billboard providing information on the multiple exhibits and next to it was a large banner with the announcement of the Ancient Egyptian one. Yuugi started to smile as he saw Atemu standing close to the banner, talking to a tall man.

Atemu saw him and waved at him. Yuugi all but skipped to stand next to Atemu and greeted him cheerfully. He felt the taller man's eyes immediately resting upon him and sliding towards his puzzle. It made him feel really uncomfortable; such a gazing, stern look.

"Father, may I introduce Mutou Yuugi to you," Atemu spoke formally. Yuugi blushed deeply. This was Atemu's father? "I asked him to visit the exhibit with me."

"Certainly," the man answered, and his voice was just as deep and held the same authority as Atemu's; it rang through the entire hallway. "I am pleased to meet you, Mutou Yuugi. I am Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire, Atemu's father."

"Pleased to meet you, Merire-sama," Yuugi stammered.

"I am glad that my son has found someone who shares his love for his homeland," the man continued. "I am sure you will find the exhibit to your liking. I see you are wearing the puzzle, as my son described. May I ask how it came into your possession?"

"My grandfather brought it home with him," Yuugi said. "He was quite an archaeologist back in his younger years."

"I see. Fascinating. I will leave you two to visit the exhibit now."

"Will I see you tonight, father?" Atemu asked.

"I will be late," was all that the man said before turning around and leaving. Yuugi didn't know what to say. Atemu looked at his father's retreating back with a mixture of annoyance and sadness on his face, but it was gone quickly - when he looked at Yuugi, his gaze was strong and confident as ever.

"Shall we go?"

"Yes," Yuugi said. He would've said "yes" to anything Atemu suggested, he thought. Atemu went ahead and guided him through the exhibit. It was much more fascinating than Yuugi imagined, and it was obvious that Atemu knew a whole lot about it. Not only because of his own background, but also because he was genuinely interested; history was his strongest subject at school. He didn't have any ambitions to become an archaeologist, though.

"You're perfectly cut out to be a tour guide," Yuugi teased him. Atemu chuckled briefly.

"And tell the same story over and over again? No, thank you. I have to find something else to do."

"Did you have something in mind?"

"I am not sure. I do want to go to university, but what to study..? There are so many possibilities, and I do not want to pick out the wrong one."

"We still have some time left for graduation," Yuugi answered good-naturedly.

"And you?"

"Me? Uhm…" Yuugi scratched the back of his head. "Something with the GameShop, I guess."

"Is that something you want?"

"I haven't given it much thought," Yuugi said, slightly embarrassed. "I think I want to continue the store. I like working with games and teaching others how to play. But I'm not really sure if I want to keep a store open until my retirement."

"You could travel first," Atemu said as he moved on to another display case. There weren't many other visitors around, yet he kept his voice low. "See something of the world."

"I think you saw a lot already, didn't you?" He just blurted it out. Yuugi had no idea if he was coming on too strong by asking, but it was too late to take his question back now.

Atemu shrugged. "Yes, I have been to quite a few countries. My father has taken this position for a longer term though, so that I could finish high school properly. It is not fun to change school every two years."

"I can imagine," Yuugi said. He had a hard time enough with _this_ school, let alone a new one every other year. "So you're really going to stay around here for a while longer?"

"Yes I am," Atemu laughed and poked Yuugi in the shoulder. "Why are you looking all red?"

"Sorry, sorry," Yuugi tried to cover his embarrassment up, "I just get a red face very quickly."

"You do, hm?" Atemu pretended to think, then smiled and moved along to another display case. "Want to hear something more about Ramses II?"

"Sure," Yuugi beamed at him. He would never get tired of listening to Atemu's voice.

* * *

"Jii-chan, is that you?"

"I just needed something from the attic, Yuugi."

Yuugi slid off his chair and traipsed to the door of his bedroom. He was very fond of his grandfather and it was easier to confide in him than his mother. It went without saying that Yuugi loved his mother just as much, but he felt that he could discuss certain topics better with his grandfather.

"Jii-chan, can we talk for a minute?"

"Of course, Yuugi. Something on your mind? How was your day with Atemu-kun?"

"It was really amazing! He knows so much about Ancient Egypt! Did you know that the masterpiece of the exhibit is a stone slab with a nameless Pharaoh on it, who looks a bit like him? He even wears a puzzle like me!"

"That's fascinating, Yuugi. I don't think I told you exactly how I got the golden puzzle box, right?"

"You'll have to tell me, jii-chan," Yuugi nodded at him. "But… I really wanted to talk about something else."

"All right." Sugoroku wasn't offended that Yuugi didn't want to hear his story right now. He could see something was bothering his grandson. He was glad that Yuugi trusted him enough to talk to him.

"Jii-chan, when did you know that… well, you… wanted more of a friend than just…being friends?"

"Ah, I see." He settled down on Yuugi's bed. "You met someone special, haven't you?"

Yuugi nodded and his grandfather smiled, but didn't pry any further.

"Love is a fickle thing, Yuugi. It's quite easy to fall in love, but it's hard to maintain. Love is the basic element of a relationship, but not the only thing a relationship thrives on. You have to have faith. Trust. You have to find comfort and solace in the other, and strength and dedication. You're never going to make it on love alone."

Yuugi's hope faltered. "I don't even know if… that someone reciprocates the feelings, jii-chan. I just…sort of found out for myself that… well…"

"I know you don't remember much of your grandmother," Sugoroku said regretfully. "I had to really win her charm back in the good old days. She thought I was nothing but a reckless gambler, and I had to really work hard to convince her and sweep her off her feet - but I succeeded, and we were married for almost forty years." He heaved a sigh.

"I know you loved her very much," Yuugi said. "I wish I got to know her better."

"That's life," Sugoroko said. "She passed away unexpectedly, and if it were up to the both of us we'd be still married, of course… but that doesn't answer your question, Yuugi. I knew I wanted to be with your grandmother the first moment I met her, but really, I think that love at first sight is quite rare. It's better to build up a strong basis first, a good friendship, instead of falling in love heads-over-heels."

"And what is that person is… distant, jii-chan?"

"That's a tough question." He tilted his head a little, stroking his beard as he frowned in thought. "You know, I don't think that anyone is really distant. Everyone needs human contact, even if they don't show it. People who are distant often hide themselves behind some kind of wall, just like you used to hide behind your games, Yuugi. Find a way to break through that wall, and you will find that person much more open to you."

"That's neat, jii-chan." Yuugi felt torn between a little bit of hope and no hope at all. How could he ever get through Atemu's wall? Why was he exactly hiding behind his distant attitude? Sugoroku cleared his throat.

"Is it, by any chance, someone I know..?"

"It is," Yuugi blushed once more and he hated how his cheeks colored like that. He wasn't some kind of blushing maiden..! At least, he didn't think he was… "But I don't want to tell you who it is, jii-chan. Not yet."

"I don't want to impose on you, Yuugi. You'll tell me when you're ready." Sugoroku tilted his head a little. "Tell me more about the museum?"

"Atemu-kun told me a lot about Ramses II," Yuugi said. "According to history, he was over ninety years old when he died, and he had ruled for over seventy years!"

"It's been a while since I've visited the museum. Perhaps I should go too…"

"I think you'd like it, jii-chan. Atemu-kun has free access because his father is in charge of the exhibit," Yuugi said. "Would you like me to ask him for a free pass?"

"I'm not a freeloader," Sugoroku shook his head. "I'll pay for my own ticket."

"I'm sure it's not a problem, jii-chan. Oh, I met his father, by coincidence," Yuugi said.

"Really? You met Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire?"

"Yes! He's really tall, and so severe! He scared me."

"He's a well-renowned diplomat," Sugoroku said. "But I wonder how much time he spends with his son."

"I think Atemu-kun might be very lonely," Yuugi said and wanted to slap himself mentally. Great going, what a way to expose himself, why didn't he tell immediately he was crushing on him?

"In that case, you should ask him over for dinner again," Sugoroku said, not picking up on Yuugi's words. "No one should feel lonely, and your mother and I certainly don't have any objections to such a well-mannered guest!"

"Jii-chan!"

"Just ask him, Yuugi," his grandfather said with a wink, and he got up from the bed. "Now if you'll excuse me, this old man has some more stuff to do."

* * *

On his way to school. Yuugi was still mulling over his conversation with his grandfather. What _was_ Atemu hiding behind his distant attitude? Yuugi kept thinking that he was lonely, but what if it was something different? He decided to stop worrying and try to change it, slowly but surely. Atemu was his friend, he couldn't let him go… he wanted to be with him, that was for sure. But that still left the question if Atemu was interested in him that way, if he was interested in 'that way' at all…

He lifted up his head just in time to smile about one of Jounouchi's wild stories. He was like an open book, there was nothing distant about Jounouchi. Or about Anzu, or Honda, or Otogi who joined the group when they had classes together. They all had accepted Atemu into their circle, even if he was a little different. Yuugi made the firm resolution to try to bring down these walls. After all, he had managed to ask Atemu if he wanted to be his teammate and he hadn't been rejected. And if Atemu wasn't interested at all, why would he spend so much time with Yuugi, helping him study and taking him to an exhibit?

"Good morning, Atemu-kun," he greeted the Egyptian in class.

"Good morning, Yuugi," he said. "Ready for the math test?"

"Thanks to your help, I'm better prepared than ever!" Yuugi felt a little warm inside, when he saw Atemu's lips turn into a smile. A small one, but a smile nonetheless. That had to mean something, right? He settled into his chair and leaned a little into the other, so that the rest of the gang couldn't overhear him. "I would like to invite you for dinner," he said quickly, his voice almost hoarse with tension. Atemu looked a little surprised; was he coming on too strong after all?

"I gladly accept the invitation," Atemu answered, relieving a huge weight from Yuugi's chest. He was behaving like a silly teenage girl in love! But... perhaps he was in love already? Falling in love was easy, his grandfather had said, but to keep the relationship strong and healthy was hard work. Yuugi rummaged through his book bag and tried to keep his mind at ease. Sooner or later, the moment would come to find out… and he wasn't sure if he was ever going to be ready for it.

* * *

The smell wafting from the kitchen was heavenly; Yuugi was almost drooling. His mother certainly was cooking up a storm; she was convinced that Atemu hadn't tasted the real Japanese kitchen yet. She was making a lot of dishes, like a buffet, and both Yuugi and grandfather couldn't wait to taste it all. Atemu hadn't arrived yet, but Yuugi was expecting him any minute. He had set up a Duel Monsters board game in his room and was shuffling the cards in his deck when he heard the doorbell ring. He was mid-way thundering down the stairs when he realized his enthusiasm was really… well, overwhelming. Yuugi halted for a moment before continuing his way down in a more sedated manner. His grandfather had opened the door already and was welcoming Atemu, who took off his coat, shaking off a few drops of rain.

"The forecast predicted a thunder storm," he said, "but for now, it is only raining."

"I'm glad you weren't completely soaked wet," Yuugi said. Atemu agreed and hung up his coat before Yuugi's grandfather could do it.

"I take it you boys want to play some Duel Monsters before it's time for dinner," Sugoroku said. "Well, get going then, I'll call you when we're going to eat."

"Let's go upstairs, Atemu-kun," Yuugi said and blushed at the suggestion. He loved spending time with his friends, but he loved spending time with Atemu even more… he could barely keep his mind focused. The question kept tumbling through his mind: what this love, what he was feeling? Wanting to be with someone else this badly that it almost took his breath away? He quickly went upstairs, trusting Atemu to follow him before his grandfather would see his conspicuous red cheeks.

"I really like this game," Atemu said when he settled on the floor, opposite of Yuugi. He had brought his own deck along, centered around the Dark Magician, one of Yuugi's favorite Duel Monsters as well. "Do you think it will be just as popular as CapMon?"

"Grandfather sells more starters and boosters decks every week," Yuugi said. "I don't think it'll be much longer before tournaments are being organized. Do you know Kaiba Seto?"

"I have never met him, but I have heard of him. Is he not supposed to be with us in class?"

Yuugi nodded. "I think he has some kind of permission to take classes with private tutors, instead of going to school. After all, he's the president of KaibaCorp."

"A CEO, at such a young age? Just like Otogi, right?"

"Yes, only Otogi-kun's store isn't operating multinational like KaibaCorp., so he still takes classes with us. Kaiba-kun really is the exception to every rule."

"Hm-m. Is that why you mention him?"

"Oh? No, not at all! I meant to say that he's also interested in Duel Monsters, in fact he's working on a way to evolve the board game into something more… how to explain it… something beyond just the cards and the board? Making it more tangible? He's using some kind of holographic 3D system to bring the monsters and effects to life. Grandfather hopes he's going to get invited when the system is launched."

"That would be amazing to see," Atemu said. He put his deck down to pick the first five cards in his right hand. "If the stories about his intelligence are true, then I am sure Kaiba is the right person to come up with that kind of technology."

"True." Yuugi also drew his five cards, and quickly rearranged them in his hand. He was glad that he could muster the same poker face as Atemu; virtually nothing could be read off of his opponent's face.

"I summon Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress," Atemu put the card on its appropriate place on the slot, "and one card face-down. End of turn."

Trap card or magic card? Yuugi felt an adrenaline rush surging through his body. Playing games was so much fun, and he was happy that he hadn't found only a friend in Atemu, but also an excellent player. Let's see...he had his trusty Summon Skull in his hand, but also one of his magnet warriors - Gamma, to be exact. But to recklessly attack Atemu's summoned monster… he had to think of a way to encounter the trap card, and if it was a magic card… he had Mirror Force in his hand, but Atemu knew he had that card in his deck, so he would have thought of a way to counter it.

"I summon magnet warrior Gamma," Yuugi finally decided and put his card on the board, and he put his face-down Mirror Force on its appropriate place. "I declare attack on your Winged Dragon!"

Atemu removed his card and deducted 100 lifepoints from his total. Yuugi was intrigued. The other hadn't played his magic or trap card yet, what could he have in mind?

They were so engrossed in the game that they didn't notice Yuugi's grandfather until he was in the attic room with them, a little wheezing from climbing up the stairs.

"Jii-chan!" Yuugi exclaimed, startled.

"I've been calling you for five minutes now that dinner is ready," Sugoroku said, without any annoyance in his voice. His eyes fell immediately on the Duel Monsters game board. "Ah! Who's winning?"

"Atemu-kun," Yuugi said, just as Atemu said Yuugi's name.

"Well, it seems that you're both even matched," the older man said, much to his enjoyment. "But leave the dueling for now, let's eat first."

They followed him downstairs and as soon as they were coming down from the attic, a huge thunder rolled through the air, lightning forking through the sky.

"We didn't even notice the rain turning into a storm," Yuugi said, slightly embarrassed. Atemu looked a little intimidated.

"I hope there are still taxis driving despite the bad weather."

"Now boys, don't get all worked up," Sugoroku said, "I'm sure it won't be raining all evening and night, so let's just get something to eat now."

"I'd love to," Yuugi said, noticing now how his stomach was grumbling. He and Atemu went into the kitchen, where Yuugi's mother put that last dish on the table, a bowl of chicken teriyaki. Atemu saw the many bowls on the table, overwhelmed.

"I wanted you to taste a variety of the Japanese kitchen," Yuugi's mother explained. "Have a seat, and have a taste of everything, if you like!"

"Thank you," Atemu said and sat down next to Yuugi. He took up his chopsticks; sometimes he still fumbled with them, but his confidence made up for any mistake he made. Besides, no one was as impolite as to point out minor mishaps to their guest; it was about warmth and sharing dinner together.

Yuugi loved it when his mother made all these dishes; she really was a good cook and it was incredibly fun to have a little bit of everything. He made sure that Atemu got served a hefty plate full: teriyaki, korokke, yaki gyoza and of course takoyaki. Yuugi's mother was pleased to explain all the ingredients, and a lively conversation was held about cooking and culture. Atemu had to confess his regrets of not being able to even fry an egg; the household staff took care of all the cooking. He had developed a rich palate due to all the international cuisines he had experienced; Egyptian and Japanese foods were definitely his favorite. He finished his plate, eating the last of some fried rice, when he declared himself really full.

"Well, you're still growing," Yuugi's mother smiled, "you can have more if you want to."

"Thank you," Atemu said, his cheeks a little rosy. Yuugi was sure that the Egyptian was feeling comfortable and that he enjoyed eating together with other people. He couldn't imagine how it was like to eat alone all the time. Atemu had never made it a secret that his father wasn't home often, and the housekeeper left as soon as dinner was prepared. Atemu had smiled and laughed at dinner, and it was a wonderful sight to Yuugi. He was so different than in class, with his formal speech and distant attitude. Here, at Yuugi's home, he even had been joking and laughing out loud. What a difference! Yuugi couldn't help but stare at him, watching how those golden ankh earrings moved with every movement, how the strands of his hair were dancing…

"I will help you with the dishes," Atemu volunteered, but Yuugi's mother reacted as if in shock, even though she was flattered by the offer.

"You're our guest, Atemu-san," she said, "please enjoy spending your time with Yuugi."

"Would you like to continue our game?" Yuugi asked immediately. Atemu didn't have to think twice and they went upstairs again to continue their mini-tournament.

Five duels and a few hours later, Atemu and Yuugi were shuffling their decks. The thunderstorm outside was still going on, and lightning was visible through the large window in Yuugi's attic room, while the heavy rain poured on the glass.

"I really enjoyed this evening, Yuugi," Atemu said.

"Me too," Yuugi was quick to answer. He glanced at his alarm clock on the nightstand; it was almost half past ten. It was a good thing that tomorrow was Saturday; on a normal weekday, Atemu couldn't have stayed as late as now. And the moment had arrived that he had to go home…

"You have a really kind family," Atemu said. He put his deck next to the board, a silent sign for Yuugi that the dueling was over. He was okay with that; it was getting late and one could play Duel Monsters for only so much in one sitting.

"I'm really glad you like them," Yuugi said. "I love jii-chan, and kaa-san of course… they have always been there for me."

"And your father?" Atemu asked. "He is not around much, is he?"

Yuugi shook his head. "He's always away on business."

"Much like mine," Atemu said, a little sullen. "I cannot believe how he chooses to spend so much time at work... there is much more to life than just work alone!"

"Yes, there is," Yuugi agreed. "And whenever my father does come home, it feels strange. Like he's some kind of guest, instead of my father."

"I see my father mostly during the weekends," Atemu said, "but even then, if there is something at work or his phone rings off, he will pay more attention to those things than to his own son."

"How about your mother?" Yuugi asked tentatively.

"She passed away when I was very young."

"I'm sorry."

"My father never remarried. It would have been better, I guess. A wife would probably keep him from working all the time, and demand to spend time with his family."

"Do you feel lonely?" It was out of Yuugi's mouth before he realized it. It just went out like that, as the atmosphere had turned confidential between them.

"Sometimes, yes." Atemu heaved a sigh. He folded the game board up and pushed it into Yuugi's direction. "I like being at school, with you and the others, and I like spending time at the library. But whenever I come home… I have some distant family in Cairo left and sometimes I use Skype to talk to them, but it is not like there is a real connection between us, you know? Not a father-son like connection."

"Well, you're always welcome here," Yuugi said spontaneously, and blushed once more.

"I know." Atemu chuckled. "Thank you, but now it is getting close to midnight. I should be really going home."

Yuugi wanted to say "Too bad", but he managed to not blurt it out. As he got up, he put the board game and his deck onto his desk and followed Atemu downstairs again. Sugoroku just came out of the living room as he heard the two boys pass.

"I'm afraid you can't go home now," the elderly man said. "It's thundering and raining outside."

"I can call a taxi," Atemu said.

"The streets have flooded. I doubt you will find a driver for the night." Sugoroku looked worried. "I wouldn't want your father to risk picking you up here. Due to the storm, parts of the city are without electricity. Traffic lights have stopped working."

"That is really bad," Atemu said. "Can I call my father, then? I want to know if he is safe at home."

"Sure, the phone is right over there."

Atemu walked into the living room. Yuugi looked outside, also worried. He hadn't realized how heavy the rain and thunderstorm had increased. It was pitch dark outside. He heard Atemu talking in his native language; despite some static, the phone network wasn't suffering too badly from the stormy weather. As soon as Atemu was finished, he walked back to Yuugi and Sugoroku.

"My father is at the Museum and cannot make it home," he said, his voice emotionless. "He tried calling for a taxi, but none are dispatched in this weather."

"Does he need to stay at the museum for the night?" Yuugi asked, horrified. He couldn't imagine the man sleeping on a cold exhibit floor.

"I know there is a special room behind the offices, with a bed. I think the previous curator had installed it, he was just as tied to the museum as father is."

"Well, in that case, you can spend the night here," Sugoroku said. "We're not going to send you through this bad weather."

Atemu seemed to hesitate. "I…I have not counted on staying for the night," he said.

"You can borrow anything you need from Yuugi. We have a guest room to suit your needs," Sugoroku said.

Yuugi's heart was beating rapidly. Atemu was going to spend the night at his house. In the guestroom… not his room!

"Jii-chan," Yuugi started.

"Sleepovers are for girls," his grandfather said, deadpan. Yuugi blushed tremendously, and he could even see Atemu turn a little red.

"Stop teasing them," Mutou Kyoko came to her son's rescue, "if they help bringing the futon upstairs, Atemu-san can sleep in Yuugi's room."

It was customary that guests should get the best of everything, but Atemu insisted that he should sleep on the futon, not in Yuugi's bed. Yuugi insisted that Atemu, as the guest, should sleep in his bed.

"Don't argue all night over it," Sugoroku said as he helped setting up the futon. "And don't talk too long too loud, all right? Some people in this house need their sleep."

"Good-_night_, jii-chan," Yuugi said and all but worked his grandfather out the door. Atemu couldn't help but chuckle. Yuugi's mother brought up some toiletries: toothbrush and toothpaste, some towels and an extra pair of pajamas. They prepared to go to bed, Yuugi dressing himself in his sky blue star shaped pajamas, Atemu in the burgundy red pair, which complimented his skin. Yuugi knew it would be weird to say that out loud, so he didn't say anything at all.

After a while, they were finally in bed - in their separate beds, and no matter how Yuugi had insisted that Atemu should take his bed, the Egyptian had stubbornly occupied the futon before Yuugi could and he decided it wasn't worth arguing about. He switched off the lights and for a moment the bedroom was completely dark. Yuugi had never put up curtains for his angled window, and he was content to see the moon shine through, despite the bad weather.

"With all this rain, you must miss Egypt," Yuugi said.

"We have rain in Cairo too," Atemu answered, amused. "I do not mind the rain. As long as I am not caught inside it."

"Do you miss Cairo?"

"Sort of. I miss the sun. I enjoy the warmth, and the atmosphere in Cairo is very different than here. Warmer, more exuberant, perhaps. Japanese people are a little distant."

Yuugi didn't know whether to smile or to cry. Atemu thought that Japanese people were so distant, while he was the master of keeping everyone at a distance himself. He couldn't blame him, really. After all, he had lived all over the world and didn't stay long enough anywhere to form a good, solid friendship with anyone…

"Are you going back to Cairo?"

"We go back for the summer holiday," Atemu said. "I am not sure if I go back permanently. It all depends on my father's job."

"You've seen so much of the world."

"True." His voice sounded forlorn. "But it's also nice to stay somewhere for a while."

"I hope you can stay for a while longer indeed," Yuugi whispered. A long silence followed. It made Yuugi feel uncomfortable. Had he said something wrong?

"I hope so too," Atemu finally said. His voice was soft and all but void of any emotions; Yuugi couldn't read anything into it. He assumed however, that this was the end of their conversation; Atemu stopped talking and the silence was comfortable this time. It had to be past midnight by now, and Yuugi felt his eyes starting to get heavy. He yawned before snuggling into his pillow.

Yuugi woke up a few hours later from another heavy bout of thunder. It had stopped raining, but the lightning hadn't worn off yet. Yuugi turned around to look at his clock; it was half past two. The pale moonlight shining through the attic window had crept a little further, onto the futon. Atemu was lying on his side, his face towards Yuugi's bed, sound asleep. Yuugi leaned a little over the edge of his bed. Atemu looked so much younger when sleeping, no frown or stern look marring his features. He looked his age, a boy of just seventeen, instead of the almost-adult of twenty, whose attitude he mostly carried.

Yuugi leaned a little closer and touched Atemu's cheek, very, very carefully. What would he say if the other woke up? _There was a bug on your cheek, I just brushed it away? _Yuugi studied Atemu's face in the weak light of the moon. He was fast asleep, otherwise he would've felt him caressing his cheek, wouldn't he? Yuugi listened to his even breathing and once he was convinced Atemu was still asleep, he touched him again. He didn't realize his pressure was a little firmer and he stroked the other's hair, re-arranging the golden bangs.

"Sleep well, Atemu," he said and blushed furiously because he hadn't used the proper honorific. Atemu would never grant him the honor to address him with his first name. Yuugi rolled himself into the covers. He turned on his side to find a good position to sleep into, knowing that his dreams would be wonderful tonight.

* * *

End


	8. Lovers

Title: Kiss Me  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Characters: Yami no Yuugi/Atemu & Mutou Yuugi  
Prompt: # 23 Lovers  
Word Count: 8.567  
Rating: G  
Summary: As their graduation approaches, Yuugi and his friends make plans for the future and he realizes that this could be the last time that he can be together with Atemu…

Author's Notes: Third and last in a mini-trilogy (from the prompts Teammates, Friends, Lovers). Made up surname for Atemu (taking from my old roleplaying account). Made up first name for Yuugi's mother.

Key: - = scene change

* * *

"Yuugi, for the last time!"

"Yes, kaa-san! I'm up already!" Yuugi heaved a small sigh, even though he couldn't help but to smile fondly. His mother's habit was hard to break; she was as strict as an alarm clock, and would call him out of bed every morning. She didn't really need to, not anymore; he was looking forward to go to school every day now that he had friends. It made so much difference; Yuugi was no longer the kid who would bring games to school to amuse himself, lonely and bullied. Still smiling, he lifted the chain of the golden puzzle over his head and settled the familiar weight against his chest.

It was his last year on Domino High. It was amazing to think that he was about to graduate. The senseis didn't make it easy for the students, pelting them with tests, papers and exams, and Yuugi was sure he hadn't achieved good grades if it weren't for Atemu's help. The Egyptian passed all of his classes with flying colors, and was always at the top of the honor roll. Jounouchi, Anzu and Honda often joined their study hours in the library, and all of them went out for a drink or something to eat afterwards. It was a busy, intense and amazing life, and Yuugi enjoyed every minute of it.

The one thing he enjoyed most however, was Atemu's company. In the presence of their friends, he had all but dropped his stern behavior, and he laughed and smiled just like them. They even got him to try ice cream and hamburgers, and in turn Atemu took them out to an Egyptian restaurant where they enjoyed falafel. He sat next to Yuugi in every class and his confidence had rubbed off on Yuugi, whereas Yuugi's openness and kind nature had rubbed a little off on Atemu. Everyone was so used to seeing them together that in the rare moments one of them was alone, everybody immediately asked where the other was.

No matter what, Yuugi had never expressed his feelings for Atemu. Starting out as a crush, they had developed into full-blown love, but Yuugi kept his mouth shut. Atemu didn't talk about private things in life much despite opening up, and a topic he surely didn't talk about was his preference in a partner. Sure, he participated in discussions about the topic, and whenever Honda needed advice with his latest crush (ever since Miho rejected him, he tried out every other girl in class, not to much avail), he always listened and weighed in with his opinion…but never, never did he show what his true thoughts on the matter was. It was maddening, but despite finding new confidence, Yuugi didn't dare to ask Atemu. He was afraid to get to hear a definite rejection, a 'no', and worse of all, Atemu's disdain for finding out that his friend was regarding him as… more than a friend. Atemu called himself Yuugi's friend and they had spend time together, Atemu even sleeping over once when a thunderstorm prevented him from going home, and he had suggested once that Yuugi should come along on his summer stay in Cairo, in his homeland of Egypt. But anything more..? No, nothing, he had shown nothing in that kind of direction.

So Yuugi stayed silent about it, suffering in silence, hoping that one day his luck would turn and he would get a shot at confessing his feelings. For now, he simply enjoyed Atemu's company as much as he could, determined to make the most out of it.

As usual after breakfast Yuugi hurried outside, where his friends were waiting to walk together to school. Anzu, Honda and Jounouchi; they all waved when they saw him approaching. After the common morning greetings, the topic of their discussion was the upcoming graduation. They hadn't spoken about anything else lately.

"I still haven't received any news from New York," Anzu pouted. She had applied to several prestigious dance schools, both in Japan and in America. She had her heart set on the School of Performing Arts in New York, and was eagerly waiting for news. It made Yuugi sad, and it hurt too, that their circle of friends was going to fall apart. To pursue her dreams, Anzu would move away, and who knew what the future held for the others. Their friendship was shifting into another, new dimension. After graduation, they would go their separate ways; he couldn't expect everyone to go to the same university, could he? Besides, Yuugi didn't even know if _he_ was going to university or not.

Jounouchi could only talk about how he was done with school and he wanted to find a job as fast as possible. He wanted his own apartment and lots of money to buy himself a car, but everyone knew that Jounouchi wanted to leave his parental house, and in particular his alcoholic father. He wanted his apartment to be a safe place for his younger sister Shizuka too, in case she should need it.

Honda wasn't fond of school either, but saw the necessity of an education in order to get a good job. He was trying to get himself into a position where he could learn and work at the same time, preferably something with mechanics or motorcycles.

Otogi also had made the choice to go to America, to get a degree in business administration. After his return, he was going to expand his Black Crown game stores into a national chain. He was very determined, just like Anzu he definitely knew what kind of direction he was going to take his life in.

Yuugi wasn't so sure about anything. He wanted to go to university, simply because Atemu was going. The Egyptian had been very clear about it and with his grades, Domino University would be more than pleased to welcome him. Yuugi's grades were okay, but he wasn't sure if university was truly his goal in life. His grandfather was getting older and relied more and more on Yuugi to help out in the store. Mutou Sugoroku didn't expect Yuugi to follow in his footsteps, he allowed his grandson to be free in his choice of education. Yuugi did like the Game shop and working, but on the other hand he couldn't imagine himself doing this until his own retirement. And it wasn't like he had all the time in the world to keep thinking about it…

"That's a shame," Jounouchi said. "When will you think you'll hear something?"

"I was hoping to be accepted by now," Anzu said, sounding worried. "Would it come across as incredibly rude if I called or e-mailed them?"

"I don't think that's rude," Honda said as Yuugi was listening. "You need time to prepare in case you're accepted, they can't let you know at just the last minute."

They kept talking about Anzu's predicament until they reached the school. Yuugi was happy to go into the classroom; it would take just another few minutes for Atemu to arrive. The Egyptian was often early, so he could talk to him a little before class started. Yuugi was busy laying out his books, when he noticed Atemu taking his place.

"Good morning, Atemu-kun," he said.

"Good morning, Yuugi." Atemu never used honorifics, unless he was talking to the sensei. His smile was warm and as always, Yuugi lost himself in that confident yet kind smile. How he wished he had enough courage to simply _ask_ Atemu… he knew he could talk to him about anything, but he was too nervous to bring this particular subject up. It was… just too personal.

The sensei entered the classroom so their conversation was cut short. Of course, the sensei talked about the last few weeks of school, about more tests and projects and exams, and how preparation was good for everything. Every student had heard it a million times before and refrained from groaning, though everyone looked annoyed and defeated at the thought of even more tests. Just a few more weeks, Yuugi told himself, then he had his diploma and he could enjoy his summer vacation. His mother and grandfather had promised him a trip to Hokkaido, and he was looking forward to it. He'd never been outside of Domino City much, and he hoped even more that Atemu would be able to accompany them. Not that there was much chance, as Yuugi assumed he would return to his homeland for the summer, just like the previous years.

At recess, the entire gang grouped together for lunch at their standard table at the back of the cafeteria. Atemu had sat there alone when he had arrived at Domino High, now it was the favorite spot of the group. Yuugi sat next to Atemu and Anzu sat to Atemu's other side, so she was sitting opposite of Miho or any other friend that would join occasionally. Jounouchi and Honda sat across the table, facing Yuugi and Atemu. Otogi took different classes and when he was around, he would pull up a chair and sit at the head of the table. With bentos open and chopsticks digging into the food, they started talking about how to celebrate their graduation.

"We should throw a party," Jounouchi was quick to suggest.

"I'm sure the entire class wants to throw a party," Anzu said. "Which one will we go to?"

"Or maybe we should pool all our resources together and throw one big, huge, kick ass party?"

"I doubt that everyone would like to be at the same party! So many people!"

"Where would we hold a party? And what about the costs?"

"My father wants to hold a graduation party," Atemu said, his voice a little higher as if he was surprised himself. The rest of the gang looked at him incredulously.

"Say what?" Jounouchi said. Atemu's father was a well-known diplomat of cultural affairs and he didn't seem like a guy to just throw a party.

"A graduation party," Atemu repeated. "At the penthouse, and I can invite everyone I want. He just wants to... do something special for me, I guess."

"That would be nice," Anzu said. "Then we have at least Atemu-san's party to go!"

Yuugi was sure he wasn't the only one who picked up on Atemu's slight hesitation, but no one of the group paid overly attention to it. He knew Atemu was grateful as he never discussed private matters; for his father to step out of his comfort zone was quite a change.

"All right, so one party down, and the next one we can host ourselves - like at Yuugi's Game Shop?" Jounouchi grinned.

"Hey! My grandfather would get a heart attack from all the loud noise!"

* * *

The last day of school had arrived. Yuugi couldn't believe he only had one more exam to go! Just a few more hours, and then… no more exams for a long time! He knew he'd done well enough to obtain his diploma, so the pressure was off; his grades were good enough for him to graduate. That brought up a load of another, excited feelings, as every student of his class had been talking about graduation parties. And he was invited to the one Atemu's father was throwing. It wasn't going to be a standard party, if only for the location: their penthouse! Yuugi was looking forward to it, but Jounouchi had his doubts, not used to such a classy environment.

As Yuugi stepped out of his bedroom, his mother was waiting for him. She pulled him into a massive mother-bear-like hug before he could protest.

"My little Yuugi-kun, graduating!" Mutou Kyoko said, while ruffling his hair affectionately.

"Kaa-san, you're embarrassing me," Yuugi blushed, but in reality he didn't mind it at all. His family was proud of him, and that was all that mattered.

"We have to talk about your future soon," she said. "You can't wait too long if you want to enroll at university, Yuugi."

"I know," Yuugi said, "but my brain is fried from all the tests and exams."

"I know you want to go on holiday," she nodded, dropping her hands to adjust the collar of his school uniform, "but give it some thought, all right? I don't like to wait until the last moment."

"All right, kaa-san." Yuugi went downstairs for his breakfast. His mother was right, of course. He was at an important point in his life, and he had to make a decision soon. University or a job? Working at the Game Shop? What did the future hold for him? He felt optimistic, but he knew he would feel even happier if he knew Atemu was going to be in his future. It was ironic to think that the Egyptian didn't even know how important he was to Yuugi; he still hadn't dared to tell him. Yuugi took a deep breath before he breezed into the kitchen. He had to tell Atemu soon, or else... he would risk losing him forever.

* * *

A few days later, Yuugi found himself enjoying his time off. Until the official graduation ceremony, he had free time to spend and he helped out his grandfather in the Game Shop. It was such a relief to not be buried in books and memorizing text after text. He knew it was only temporary; soon enough he had to decide whether to go to college, or what kind of job he wanted… The next day, Yuugi couldn't help smiling when he saw the official invitation. Perhaps only Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire would bother to send his son's friends invitations to a graduation party, Yuugi thought. Everyone else had used their cell phone and other social media to get the word out. The heavy paper had a typical, distinct scent to it and when he took it out of the envelope he read it and realized that Atemu's father had organized a far more social gathering than 'just' a graduation party. No wonder Jounouchi would feel out of place; Yuugi was starting to feel the same. He was a little intimidated by Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire, a majestic, tall man who dealt with diplomats and ministers and who was responsible for the National Museum exhibits, strengthening the cultural bond between Japan and Egypt.

"I thought that might be the invitation," Yuugi's mother clasped her hands together. She was thrilled for Yuugi to be invited in such a high circle. She told him about the rumors floating around Domino City about the party; Yuugi hadn't realized it was going to be such an important event. Jounouchi's and his idea of a graduation party had been lots of food and drink, loud music and all their friends and classmates together. He had the distinct feeling that this party wasn't going to be anything like that.

"You and jii-chan are also invited, kaa-san." Yuugi offered the invitation to her. She took the piece of paper and studied it attentively. Her smile lit up and then suddenly evaporated.

"What is it, kaa-san?"

"I have nothing to wear!" She cried out. Grandfather, who just walked around the corner, was startled by her cry and his eyes went wide when she ran up the stairs to check her wardrobe.

"Nothing to wear?" He asked.

"For the party." Yuugi showed him the invitation. "It sounds to me like it's going to be more like a diplomat party than… well, you know…"

"I see. Well, you can't deny the man's gesture. He wants to do something for his son, and why not combine it with another social event? And if you don't like it, you can always hold one here at home."

"Really, jii-chan?"

"Really. But do warn me if you decide to throw one; you youngsters are so loud!"

* * *

_Wow_. It was Yuugi's first thought when he entered the penthouse. He was simply flabbergasted; Atemu's father had invited the entire class of his son and they mixed quite well with the other guests, ranging from upper-class diplomats to politically engaged officials. Everyone blended into a nice, informal party with a rich buffet and a band that played classical and modern music. Yuugi was impressed with the dimensions and the interior decoration of the huge penthouse. One could easily rollerblade inside and not even hit a wall for a long time.

He spotted Atemu, dressed regally in a beautiful, midnight dark suit. He was wearing more jewelry besides the golden ankh-shaped earrings; rings on his fingers, a golden collar and some gold on his wrists, whenever his pristine white shirt pulled up a little. Yuugi was insanely jealous, and felt sad at the same time. If there was one opportunity when it was rubbed into his face that Atemu was from an entire different world, this was it. He mingled with the guests, moving around and smiling, keeping up polite talks, interested conversation and sparking discussions. Yuugi hoped he was able to keep his face in the same neutral expression as he was trying to keep it now, and not gushing like a smitten teenager. He looked around for his friends: Jounouchi was at the buffet, having lost his initial shyness; Anzu, talking to a few girls who seemed to admire her ambitions in dancing and Otogi and Honda amusing themselves with a group of interested investors.

Yuugi's mother and grandfather were also having a good time, much to Yuugi's relief. He was hoping that he could talk to Atemu before the party was over. He walked over to Jounouchi who was piling up on his third plate. Yuugi tried to eat something, despite his stomach turning and tumbling.

"This is the best food I've ever had," Jounouchi said, happily stuffing his face. Yuugi couldn't help but chuckle, enjoying that his best friend had such a good time. Next to Jounouchi was his sister Shizuka, all recovered from her intensive eye surgery, and she was smiling at Yuugi. He was about to say something when he was interrupted by a ringing sound - someone was ticking with a utensil against a glass, calling for the people's attention. The band had already stopped playing and everybody turned their head into the direction of the sound: Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire. He put the glass and the small spoon to the side, and put his hand on his son's shoulder, standing next to him.

"My dear friends and family, I am so glad that my son has graduated," he said, his deep voice easily reaching every corner of the room. "I am very happy to celebrate with his friends" - a nod to Yuugi and the gang - "and with family." He cleared his throat. "I would like to use this opportunity to announce that I have accepted a position in New York," he continued, "as to give my son freedom to study in the United States."

"Wow, New York," Anzu said. "I wish I got accepted there," she said wistfully, still not having heard back from the dance academy she applied to.

"The United States, they have giant steaks!" Jounouchi said, water running in his mouth.

Yuugi felt like someone punched him in the stomach. All he could do was to stare at Atemu, who was smiling, albeit strained. The rest of the audience started clapping, and surrounded Akunamukanon to congratulate him with his new position. Yuugi felt heartbroken. People were congratulating Atemu as well, but couldn't they see the strained smile on his face? His eyes flashing an angry red instead of joy, and the tense muscles around his lips, forced to hold up his smile?

Yuugi didn't know what to do. He wanted to talk to Atemu as soon as possible, but the other was out of reach by the people crowding him and his father. He couldn't simply talk to Anzu or Jounouchi either - they weren't aware of his feelings for Atemu, and he didn't want to create an awkward scene. He had no other choice but to bide his time.

When the people had dispersed a little and the party continued, Yuugi decided to search Atemu out. His friends were all over the place and he walked around, but he couldn't find the Egyptian. He saw his mother and grandfather, Jounouchi several times, Anzu and Honda and Otogi... but where was Atemu? Yuugi decided to ask one of the servants and managed to speak up to a young girl, holding a tray with flutes of champagne.

"Do you know where Atemu-kun is?"

"I saw him in the hallway," the girl answered hurriedly. He thanked her and went to the hallway, but all the doors were closed. He suddenly got the notion that Atemu might have retreated to his bedroom, to process his father's announcement; it had come to him as a surprise as much as to the guests.

"I'm looking for Atemu-kun's room," he asked another servant, who was helpful enough to explain to him that the second last door on the right was the one he needed. Yuugi thanked her and walked down the hallway, not exactly sure about what he was doing. Was he sure he could approach Atemu this way? He was upset, he knew it. And how was he, Yuugi, to explain that he noticed? _Gomen, Atemu-kun, but I'm in love with you, and I notice every single change in your face, because I memorized every line, every expression and I can just tell when you're upset._

He was at the door and he knocked. No answer. He knocked again, and still no answer. Carefully, Yuugi opened the door and peeked inside. The room was huge, the entire attic of the Game Shop building fit in here twice, if not thrice! Yuugi walked in slowly, not wanting to smudge the lush carpet. He made his way over to Atemu, standing in front of the large window, his arms crossed in front of his chest, his entire posture rigid.

"Atemu-kun," Yuugi said, his voice soft as not to startle the other. Atemu kept staring out of the window, not showing any sign that he was surprised.

"He does this every time," Atemu said. "He decides and expects me to trudge along!"

Yuugi had never seen Atemu upset like this, and it broke his heart.

"Your father," he simply said.

"Yes." Atemu frowned, still staring outside. The window mirrored his deep frown and the harsh lines around his eyes and mouth. He was angry, sad and frustrated at the same time.

"It must be hard, as son of a diplomat," Yuugi said. "You told me before that you have lived in so many places, and that you never got to settle in right, because of your father's constant relocation."

"I want him to be happy. My father is good at what he does, and he enjoys his work." Atemu heaved a sigh. "After my mother passed, my father never looked around for any other woman. I never accused him of it, but I think he thought it was easier getting married to his work than to another woman."

"Your father had a lot of grief," Yuugi said, goodheartedly. "He probably thought he would never find another woman like your mother."

"I guess." Atemu's entire posture was tense. Yuugi felt like he was talking to a wall. A huge wall. "I wish he had remarried."

"I know you'd love to have a mother."

"Not for me." His voice was a little hesitant, but became stronger again. "A wife would have held him into one place. He would not have dragged me all over the world and expected me to be happy about it."

Yuugi nodded, they had talked about this before. "It hasn't been easy for you either, Atemu-kun. Have you ever told your father about how you felt?"

Atemu snorted. "You probably think I am a coward," he said. "But I did not dare to. I saw how happy he was with his work, with his life, and... he probably thought I was happy too. I did not dare to disturb his perfect picture."

"That's not what a coward would do," Yuugi shook his head. "You made a sacrifice, a noble sacrifice. You put your father's happiness before your own."

"And look what it has brought me," Atemu said harshly. He kept staring out of the window, as if he could break the glass just by looking at it. "Now that I finally found a place I would like to stay, where I want to be, he just picks up and wants to leave again!"

A surge of happiness went through Yuugi. _Atemu wanted to stay here! _He immediately realized the predicament. As soon as Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire picked up his stuff, Atemu would have to follow his father and Yuugi was going to lose the love of his life, without even having told him…

"I'm sure there's a solution," he finally offered, without knowing if Atemu wanted to be consoled or not. His eyes were cold and harsh, and his lips were turned into a disappointed - and disapproving - frown. Yuugi could see the frustration build up in him, angry and intense. "We'll find a solution," he continued, aware that he was using 'we', but Atemu didn't comment or correct.

"Come back to the party, Atemu-kun," he said and he dared to put his hand on his shoulder. Atemu finally nodded, but his posture was still rigid. He didn't object to Yuugi touching him, but Yuugi withdrew his hand as to not make things awkward. They left Atemu's room and returned to the party, music and laughter drifting towards them in the hallway.

* * *

Jounouchi was the first one to say goodbye. It was getting late and he didn't want Shizuka to walk the streets alone at this hour, so he was going to take her home. Anzu left a little later with her parents, as did Yuugi's mother and grandfather. Quite a few other guests had left, and the party was winding down. Yuugi stayed a little longer, enjoying Atemu's company and they were talking, standing in the corner of the penthouse living room. Slightly rebellious, Atemu had been drinking beverages with alcohol in it; he was far from being drunk, but he wasn't exactly sober either.

"I am still pissed," he said, and Yuugi thought it was the closest to a curse word he'd heard Atemu ever say. "He doesn't even ask my opinion. No, just accept another position, pick up and leave, and who cares what his son thinks? His son who will follow like a good, obedient sheep?"

"Your father doesn't know how you're feeling," Yuugi tried to console him. "The both of you should have a good talk together, a father-son talk."

"Easier said than done," Atemu snorted. "You know him. My father does not take objection lightly, and he is convinced that he is doing all of this for the greater good, and in my best interests."

"He has your interests at heart, Atemu-kun," Yuugi said. "He wants you to study at the best universities the United States have to offer."

"He wants, he wants..! It is not what _I_ want!"

"And what is it you want?"

"I want to stay in one place for a longer time." Atemu looked downtrodden. "I never feel at home. I never feel like… there is a place where I belong. I like it here. I like the culture, the food, the people, the school. I want to go to university and have structure in my life."

"You should tell your father," Yuugi said encouragingly. "If he knows how you feel about all of this…"

"In this family, we do not do 'feelings'," Atemu said rather curtly. Yuugi remained silent. He'd never seen Atemu this emotional before, and he didn't know if it was because of his alcohol intake or because of the earlier events. All he knew was that Atemu was pretty distressed at his father right now, and he couldn't really blame him. His friend said something, and Yuugi scooted closer to overhear him.

"What?"

"Why did you come after me?"

"W-what?" Yuugi blushed, turning tomato-red.

"Just after my father's announcement, when I stormed off to my room." Atemu sipped the last of his drink and put the glass away. "You came after me to talk me back into joining the party again."

"Oh," Yuugi said and whipped up a reassuring smile. "I noticed you were upset. I just… wanted to make sure that you were all right."

Atemu turned his head towards him, staring him straight in the eyes. Yuugi's breath hitched. "Not many would do that," he said. "Most would just leave me alone."

"I don't like seeing people in pain." Yuugi was captivated by the crimson red hue of Atemu's eyes. His stare wasn't stern or with the light arrogance as usual, but more open and friendly. Yuugi knew how different Atemu could be between his friends or with strangers; it was hard to gain his trust and his loyalty. What could he expect more of someone who had been all around the world, never too long in one place to build up solid friendships? He felt how Atemu trusted him, and he was glad - he wanted to offer comfort to his friend, and buried his own feelings deep down.

"You are too kind." Atemu raised his hand and tapped Yuugi on the nose. "Have you never been afraid of that kindness being abused?"

"No, never." Yuugi was totally honest. He believed in second chances, he believed in giving the benefit of the doubt. He wasn't that naïve to believe that everyone in the world was acting out of the same kindness, and he didn't close his eyes for the evil and bad things that existed around him. Still… his grandfather had raised him that way, and Yuugi held his beliefs up high.

"Too kind," Atemu mumbled as he reclined into the plush upholstery of the couch, "too gentle."

Yuugi didn't have an answer to that, so he continued to smile, reveling in the small touch of Atemu's finger on his nose. He leaned a little more into the other, and Atemu tilted his head.

"Thank you nonetheless," he said, showing Yuugi a soft smile as he was pursing his lips, and the next second he was so close to Yuugi that his lips could touch his, and they did… frozen in the moment, Yuugi could only process that he was being kissed, and it took him precious seconds to realize that he could return the kiss. It was so out of the blue, so strange all of the sudden, that he wasted valuable time to respond; this was all he had dreamed of, and now that it was happening… Yuugi parted his lips and reveled in the moment.

_My first kiss..! _It was his only thought, repeated in his mind like a mantra. A kiss from his friend, who he loved more than a friend, it was everything he had ever hoped for, and more… he didn't care if somebody saw them, he didn't care if people were shocked, he couldn't care less about anything anymore. Atemu was kissing him and it was such a delicious kiss, warm and lovingly, predatory and ferociously, and so much more… he had fantasized about kissing Atemu, and his body tensed up yet relaxed, a myriad of emotions running through him.

It was over all too soon. Atemu's lips left his own, and he mourned the loss; it felt like a cold gust of wind after all the intense heat. Yuugi looked at the Egyptian, holding his breath. Nothing else happened. Atemu's eyes were a little clouded and he looked confused and unfocused. Then he brought up his hand, raking through his hair as he licked his lips. Turning his gaze back to Yuugi, he smiled a little haplessly, and said: "I think I need to lie down."

"It's getting late," Yuugi managed to say, but his voice sounded like a squeaky bird. Atemu only nodded, and shifted away from him. That movement was killing to Yuugi. He might as well have been punched in the face. A strong wave of disappointment went through him, so strong that he almost wanted to throw up. "You had a lot to drink. Maybe you should go to bed, yes."

"Yes, maybe I should." Atemu moved to get up, a little unsteady, but Yuugi didn't offer to help him. Tears were burning in the corner of his eyes, and he struggled so hard to not cry right here and right now. He wasn't going to cry in the penthouse of the Sa-neb-Merires in front of other party guests. The band was still playing, but the caterers were discreetly removing the rest of the buffet before the food spoiled; there were so little guests left.

"I should be going too," Yuugi said and got up, turning to Atemu. He looked at him, hope shimmering in his eyes. _One more chance. Ask me to stay. Tell me to stay. Tell me everything. _

"All right. I will see you at the graduation ceremony." His words came out slightly slurred, and Yuugi knew he wasn't going to hear what he wanted to hear. With his last strength, he showed Atemu a warm smile and wished him a good night. As he watched his retreating back, Yuugi swallowed and swallowed, if only to hold back his tears. He made it out of the penthouse and back home safely, relieved that his mother and grandfather had already gone to bed. At this moment, he welcomed the silence as he rolled into bed, smothering his tears with his pillow.

* * *

As he feared, the party was the topic of conversation the next morning. Yuugi didn't want to talk about it, his feelings raw and still hurt. All he could think of was the kiss, that lovely kiss, that wonderful delicious kiss, only to be reminded that it was never going to happen. He didn't want to settle for one half-drunken kiss, he wanted Atemu to consciously, passionately and seriously kiss him, with the promise of sharing their lives, together, forever. Maybe he was too kind, too gentle, too silly to believe something like that could happen to him; but that was all he asked for. Why was it so hard? Why was life so difficult?

"Yuugi, what's wrong?" his mother asked. She had noticed his lack of energy and enthusiasm at the breakfast table, and he had barely commented on her words. Yuugi smiled at her, but he barely succeeded.

"Nothing, kaa-san. I'm glad you had such a good time at the party!"

She looked at him quizzically. "You haven't touched your food."

Yuugi stared at his plate. His scrambled eggs had gone stone cold. "Oh! I'm sorry, kaa-san."

"Yuugi, would you mind telling me what's going on?"

He dropped the fork right in the middle of his eggs. "Nothing!"

His mother shook her head. "I can tell there's something wrong. Did something happen at the party after we've left? You looked like you had such a good time, and…"

"Leave me alone, kaa-san!" Yuugi got up so quickly that his chair shoved backwards and toppled over. He felt the shame of his outburst rise to his cheeks, he was never rude to his mother, but right now, he just… couldn't deal with it anymore. The kiss that had meant nothing meant _everything _to him, and now that all hope was gone… how could his mother help him? He was mature enough to deal with this on his own, he had to be!

"But Yuugi-kun…"

"I want to be alone!" He dashed out of the kitchen and ran upstairs, taking two steps at the same time as he raced back to his room. He threw himself on his bed after shutting the door with a loud bang and punched his pillow. He wanted to cry, but the tears didn't come. Instead, his voice hitched and he gasped for air, as if suffering a panic attack. His body trembled and he felt cold and hot at the same time. After a few minutes, the anxiety and stress wore off and Yuugi breathed evenly again. He would apologize for his behavior to his mother later, and he was grateful that she hadn't followed him. He wasn't up for conversation, not right now. Yuugi turned on his back and stared at the ceiling. This was it. He had to give in and accept that he had lost, hadn't he? What was the saying again: "better to have lost at love, than never to have loved at all?".

It left a bitter taste in his mouth. If he had spoken up, he might have learned if Atemu returned his feelings. He had never dared to, out of fear to lose his friend. And now he was going to lose him anyway, and he would never know if… the anger he felt was towards himself, for lacking the courage and strength to take matters into his own hands. Atemu was right, he was too kind and too gentle. If only, if only he had dared to ask! To speak up his mind..! Yuugi tried to break his thoughts from this vicious cycle, but he couldn't help himself. The graduation ceremony was only two days away, and time was literally running out. A bright flicker caught his eye and he noticed it was the golden puzzle, basking in the early morning light. He hadn't worn it since the party; his very special puzzle that took him so long to solve. He had wished for friends upon completion and he grimaced at the memory. He'd been granted his friends, only for them to be taken away from him. With surprising strength, he yanked the puzzle from his desk and tossed it into the corner. The object hit the wall, and the front piece popped out of its place.

Upset, Yuugi didn't know what to do, and remained in his room for hours, brooding and sullen.

* * *

He strained his smile a little, but Yuugi managed to act mostly like himself when his diploma was handed to him. The graduation ceremony was a special moment and he didn't want to ruin it for other people; so he smiled and laughed, and shook hands and congratulated his friends and fellow classmates. His peers were overjoyed, exchanging kisses and congratulations and celebrating this milestone in their life. He kissed Anzu on the cheeks, who was totally happy; she had heard back from the School of Performing Arts and she was invited to New York for an audition. She was literally dancing and twirling all around Yuugi and he was happy for her while his own heart grew sadder. Atemu soon gone, Anzu soon gone… how was he supposed to be holding himself up?

Jounouchi was swatting Honda over the head with his diploma, wrinkling the paper. Shizuka admonished him to be careful, but he grinned like a loon and made funny faces. She was his only family member to attend the ceremony; her support for her brother was unconditional.

Ironically enough, Atemu was standing next to him. Yuugi felt so familiar and so… accepted in his company, that it almost brought him to tears again. He loved him so much, and he wanted to hold is hand, to be together… he wanted to be with Atemu and the Egyptian was standing next to him, as if he belonged there. Fellow classmates were talking to him and he partook in the conversation as usual; politely, yet distant. He hadn't spoken much to Yuugi either, and hadn't mentioned anything about the night of the party.

Yuugi didn't feel like celebrating anymore. He wanted to sneak away and waited for the right moment that everyone was occupied safe for him. When Jounouchi's and Shizuka's attention were diverted by Honda trying to rip up Jounouchi's diploma, he seized the opportunity to leave. He needed a bit of fresh air, and he walked past the other attendants, leaving the crowd behind him. Too many people, too much noise. Nobody paid any attention to him as he walked out of the building and he took a deep breath, inhaling the clean air.

The schoolyard was pretty large and empty in the early evening. Yuugi sought out one of the benches and sat down. How many of his footsteps lied around here? Years ago, he had walked around here alone, with games in his backpack to entertain himself. He made himself as invisible as possible, afraid of the bullies and his classmates who picked on him. His shy footsteps had turned into a confident stride when he had met his friends, when he had won that CapMon tournament, when he was introduced to Atemu… and now here he was, all brooding and downtrodden, and it didn't feel right. If only he had acted upon his emotions, and now it was too late. Well, there wasn't much he could do about it now, couldn't he? Apart from smiling when his friends left for the United States and being a support to the others. They were his friends and he would continue to support and cheer for them, even if they were at the other side of the world. And in the meantime, he would concentrate on working at the Game Shop and help his grandfather out… yeah, that was probably the best thing to do. He heaved a deep sigh.

The rustling of fabric next to him startled Yuugi out of his thoughts. He looked up, and was even more startled to see Atemu coming to sit next to him.

"My apologies," he said, voice low, "I did not want to disturb you."

"It's all right." Yuugi cast his eyes down.

"It is the first time I see you without your puzzle," Atemu said. "How come you are not wearing it today?"

"I didn't feel it was the right moment for it," Yuugi answered truthfully. It was still lying in the corner of his bedroom, he hadn't even bothered to put the front piece back together again. He folded his hands together and stared in front of him. He couldn't bear to look Atemu in the eyes. _He's probably going to tell me when he's going to leave and I have to say "Good luck, so long, goodbye."_

A moment of silence. It didn't feel uncomfortable, yet a little bit awkward. Yuugi usually took the lead in a conversation, chatting about anything that came up in his mind, but this time he wasn't talking. The both of them were waiting for the other to start; but deep down Yuugi knew they were both waiting for Atemu to start. It took him at least five minutes.

"I need to offer you my sincerest apologies," he said.

"Why?" Yuugi was genuinely surprised, not knowing what the other was talking about.

"At the party. I had a little bit too much to drink, and…"

"Oh, it's all right. I have seen tipsy people before," Yuugi said, thinking back on how his mother had been indulging herself a few glasses of red wine, completely underestimating the alcohol. He never wanted to hear her singing and giggling like a schoolgirl again.

"No, that is not it." He hesitated. "I… know I did something that evening that I should not have done. I accept your anger Yuugi, for I acted rashly and uncontrolled."

"I…" Yuugi racked his brain, "I really don't know what you're talking about."

Atemu looked at him, almost pained. "I kissed you," he said. "I remember it quite well, Yuugi. Is that not why you are upset with me? At the ceremony you looked like you wanted to be everywhere but next to me, I sensed your… discomfort. It is my fault."

Actually, Yuugi wanted to laugh, preferably hysterically. He'd been thinking all that time that he was covering up his own anguish so well, and Atemu had read him perfectly, without any trouble at all! He shook his head.

"I am a coward," Atemu continued. "All I could do was whine and moan about my father's decision, while I have taken advantage of you. You have always been so kind, you have always been there to listen to me. I should have called you…"

"It's all right," Yuugi said. "Really. You shouldn't have worried."

Another silence. "Are you not disgusted?"

"No." Yuugi straightened his shoulders. He didn't have anything to lose. Turning around so he could face Atemu, he stared at the Egyptian's face. He could see remorse, curiosity and slight confusion there. "I think we've both been wrestling with certain emotions," he said. "Don't you think so?"

"I think so," Atemu said, but he didn't sound convinced. Yuugi assumed that he wasn't really sure what he was talking about, so he decided to take the next step. If he had to suffer Atemu's wrath, so be it. He reached for Atemu's hand and took it in his. As the other didn't pull away immediately, it encouraged Yuugi to gently stroke his fingers.

"I care for you," he said. "More than just a friend. You're so strong and so proud and so beautiful."

As Atemu didn't answer, but didn't pull away either, Yuugi went on: "I wasn't disgusted by your kiss. I was hoping for you to kiss me, I've dreamed about it for so long. When it happened, I was disappointed, as I figured you were too much buzzed by the alcohol to actually… you know, put any deeper meaning into it."

"I am sorry," Atemu said. He squeezed Yuugi's hand lightly. "It should have been a proper kiss. You deserve that, and so much more."

This was getting awkward. Another moment of silence, and Yuugi wondered how he could muster up enough strength to ask the most important question.

"When are you going to leave?" His voice was shrill. He forced himself to keep looking at Atemu, even though he feared the answer. The Egyptian raised his hand and this time, he touched Yuugi's face, moving up a little to tuck a wayward golden bang behind his ear.

"I am not going to leave."

"You're not..?"

"No."

"Your father…"

"He was pretty angry with me," Atemu said. "And he still is. You might have noticed that he was not attending the ceremony."

"I didn't see him in the audience, no," Yuugi said. "I'm so sorry, Atemu-kun."

"There is no reason to. I think he will come around. We still have a few more days to discuss the change in plans. Basically, I told him that I wanted to stay here, continue my education, and live on my own. I refused to go with him, to pack up and just leave - and like I told you before, he did not take my objections lightly."

"Your father is such a stern man."

"He certainly is. But Yuugi, my reason to stay did not depend solely on my choice of education. I… after that kiss, I… I just had to know if you were disgusted with me. I do not want to lose you as a friend."

"You haven't lost me," Yuugi said. "Please understand that…" How could he express it in words? What more could he say and how could he say it, without being misunderstood? He brought up their tangled hands to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss on Atemu's fingers. "Please understand that I love you," he whispered hoarsely and pressed another kiss on those long, slender fingers.

After a moment, Atemu withdrew his fingers. Yuugi let him go. It wasn't of any use to pressure the other, he couldn't force Atemu into loving him. If the feelings weren't mutual, he had to cut his loss and move on with life, no matter how hard it was. He drew a shaky breath. Atemu moved his other hand and tilted Yuugi's chin, thumb gently rubbing his skin.

"That was my main reason to stay," he said. "I was not sure, Yuugi… I am even more of a coward than I originally thought. I did not dare to speak up, afraid I was going to hurt you, afraid I was going to lose you. I finally found a circle of friends, I felt accepted and welcome, and I did not want to risk it for a thing. I told my father that he could go anywhere in the world, but I was not going, not without you. Not without knowing if you felt something for me."

"Felt something for you?" Yuugi broke out in a happy laugh at the same moment that he started to cry. "You silly fool, I love you so much! I didn't dare to ask you because I was afraid too! We've both been terribly silly!"

"I am sorry, I am so sorry," Atemu said. "It is not like I have much experience with this, you know…"

"Me neither," Yuugi hiccupped. He fumbled around for a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. An incredible weight had been lifted off of him, and he laughed and cried at the same time. It confused Atemu, but Yuugi reassured him that he was happy and glad, and that the tears weren't from sorrow.

"I really did not want to cause you any grief," Atemu said. This time he brought Yuugi's fingers to his lips. "Had I known…"

"Had we both known," Yuugi corrected him, albeit with a smile, "then we wouldn't have shed tears or lived in insecurity. We better put that behind us now and just… enjoy what we have, right?"

"Right." Atemu sounded relieved too, and he scooted closer to Yuugi and wrapped his arm around him. Happily, Yuugi leaned with his head on the Egyptian's shoulder.

"What about your father?" He asked.

"What about your family?"

"Jii-chan and kaa-san won't mind much who I come home with. I mean, whether it's a boy or a girl… that won't make much difference to them. You'll always be welcome in our home."

"I do not think my father will accept it as easily, I am afraid." Atemu looked up at the stars in the sky. "I do not blame him. He was raised with strict rules and firm beliefs and everything that deviates from it, will be hard to deal with. I do hope that he will accept it - that his son is growing up and makes his own choices."

"Whatever will happen, I'll be by your side," Yuugi promised him.

"I know." Atemu hugged him close. "I want you by my side."

"Are we going back to the ceremony? People might wonder where we are."

"Let them wonder. I would rather be with you. We have a lot of lost time to make up for."

"How about trying for a real kiss?"

"A real kiss it is."

* * *

End


End file.
